So Hardcore
by LightTheWayAhead
Summary: [Pricefield ftw, NSFW, smut] Story picks up at the end of Episode 3 after Chloe and Max have a heated argument in Chloe's truck. Some angst, some sweetness, and a lot of self-questioning. (Edit: and some plot yo)
1. Impulses

**This is my first ever fanfiction, so I hope I did alright!**

 **Spoilers: takes place at the end of Episode 3.**

 **Pricefield [Chloe x Max] hell yais.**

 **NSFW, very smutty.**

 **#personal**

 **Enjoy~**

 _I cannot believe Chloe is so goddamn stubborn._

Max slammed her dorm room shut as she angrily kicked off her shoes and flopped into her bed, laying on her back.

 _Chloe could be so frustrating to deal with sometimes. I told her Rachel Amber had a thing with Frank … why is she getting mad at me? I didn't do anything to her. Ugh!_

After Chloe found out that there was more to Rachel and Frank than she had thought, she steamed off on Max and pretty much kicked her out of her truck when she got to Blackwell.

As she let out a frustrated exhale, Max grabbed her pillow that had her name engraved and hugged it tightly. She shook her head in annoyance and looked up to her right. Her photographs were displayed above her on her wall, one after the other. A maze of memories, now ruined with graffiti.

A photo of Chloe and her caught Max's eye. She sat up and unpinned it off her wall to get a better look. _Man, we looked so happy here – this was back when Chloe was truly happy. I wish I could see her like this again._

With the old polaroid photograph in her hand, Max rolled onto her side and sat up against the edge of her bed. Deep in thought, Max studied the photo intensely and thought about today. She was so stressed lately especially after what happened to Kate.

 _I can't focus on anything else,_ Max thought. _I honestly feel so damn frustrated! Chloe was the only one who knew about me and my power. She understands me best and I_ need _her now. I can't believe she stormed off on me like that – maybe I should rewind and lie to Chloe about finding the stuff on Rachel in Frank's trailer …_

 _... but that wouldn't be right._

 _She's the only person I can talk to about this and now she's so pissed off at ––_

 **Bzzzz bzzz.**

Startled, Max dropped the photo of young Chloe and Max as she realized her phone was vibrating. She reached over onto her nightstand to see who was bothering her now. She just wanted to be alone as she invited annoyance and frustration over that night.

 **Chloe: you forgot your camera in my truck..**

 _Great …_ Max thought. _Speaking of the devil. What am I even supposed to say to Chloe? She's obviously so mad. But I need my camera and she knows it._ Max didn't respond anything just yet. She was just staring at the phone, re-reading Chloe's text, and contemplating what to say and how to say it. She knew she needed her camera for class. Max recalled that she also left her chlorine-drenched t-shirt and jeans in Chloe's room too. In mid thought, her phone buzzed in her hand again.

 **Chloe: ok…. this is hella awkward max. I am so fricken pissed off right now and it seems like no one gets it**

Max started typing her response.

 **Max: Look Chloe, I'm in the same boat at you right now. Like I told you in the truck, it is NO ONE'S fault :( But I do need my camera for class**

No response. _Great, now she's ignoring my texts. Maybe I should just leave my camera with her for now. I do not want to face angry Chloe at the moment. If I just let her cool off for a bit, maybe she'll come around._

Max put her phone away and sat up. She walked up to her windows to close the curtains, thinking she just needed some alone time to cool herself off. As she got up and walked over to the other side of the room, the polaroid of young Max and Chloe fell and slid underneath Max's bed. After shutting away the sunlight which was annoyingly flowing into her bedroom, Max kicked off her jeans. She took off Rachel's flannel shirt and kicked it to the floor, leaving her in her underwear and t-shirt. Her room was now dim and lonely.

She lay back down, flopping into bed, hugging her pillow in-between her legs. She was still annoyed as hell. Of course, her response was to over-think the situation and dissect every aspect of her and Chloe's fight.

 _I just don't get it. I tried to warn her that something was up with Rachel and Frank. She freaked right the hell out. She didn't freak out when I told her I found photos of Rachel with Samuel, so why was she so pissed with Frank?_

 _Maybe it's because she had a thing with Frank before. Ew. Can't believe she dated that loser._ Max shook her head in disgust.

 _I guess she's jealous of Rachel because she was with her ex-boyfriend?_

 _Wait._ Max got goosebumps as the thoughts raced in her head. _But maybe it was the other way around and Chloe was jealous of_ Frank _because Chloe crushed on Rachel? I mean, she did seem pretty jealous that Rachel, the girl she had a thing with, also had a thing with Frank._

 _I'm starting not to like Rachel more and more. She isn't even here and she has Chloe's undivided attention. It feels like her_ lack of presence _is coming between Chloe and I. Hell Max, you're even thinking of her when you haven't even met her._

Max turned over onto her other side.

 _Max, are you jealous of Rachel?_ Max's uninvited thoughts seeped into her mind.

 _Why would you be jealous of Rachel? I mean ... she's only Chloe's beautiful best friend and maybe more. Chloe is so into her. She sounds fucking amazing._

With that thought, Max was reminded of the awesome dare Chloe gave her earlier that morning. It was so cool to spend time with Chloe like when they were young, and that kiss topped it right off. _Chloe is so beautiful. Last night, swimming at Blackwell with Chloe was so careless and free and badass all at the same time. There's something about being alone with Chloe that is so intimate._

Max thought it seemed so private and personal to be with Chloe when no one knew they were there.

But with these feelings came an echo of curiosity and questioning.

Max was feeling the weight of a long day; after finally calming down, she was getting tired.

 _What if I actually liked the way Chloe's lips felt on mine? She is so hella cute. The way she looks so great in all of the photos that I take of her. That classic badass Chloe smirk._ Max let out a sleepy exhale.

 _Max, what are you saying? You and Chloe are best friends and it ... has to ... just ––_

With heavy eyes, Max's thoughts were submerged and forgotten as she fell into a deep sleep.

 **Bzz bzz**

Max sleepily rolled onto her side as she reached for the phone that woke her up. As her tired eyes focused on the bright screen, Max glanced at the time.

10:28pm.

The brunette realized that her nap was a few hours long. _Great, I slept through the damn day. Good going, Max. Now you'll never be able to fall asleep tonight._

She focused her eyes on the text that woke her.

 **Warren: Max! I'm so excited to go *APE* with you this week! I HOPE YOU'RE READY :) Good night and see ya tmw at school :)**

Warren was so sweet and kind to Max. But a little voice in the back of Max's mind was hoping that text was from Chloe, not him.

Max thought to herself, _I can't help but feel like I'm leading Warren on. Am I though? If you actually maybe sort of like him, it isn't leading him on._

 _But what about Chloe? I hope she's okay. She was really taking it hard today. I should be there for her, even though she's pushing me away._

 _I wonder if she's awake? Oh man, it's not like I can fall back asleep tonight anyways. Maybe I should see go be there for her._ Max talked herself into sneaking out for the second night in a row and catching the last bus towards Chloe's house. She was genuinely worried about her, despite her still being frustrated.

She didn't like seeing Chloe like this and a true friend would stick by her no matter what. It wasn't even about the camera anymore; she just wanted to be with the only person she could trust.

By now, Max was sitting on the edge of her bed. She didn't turn on the light in her room so as to not attract suspicion. She snuck out last night, so she just had to do the same thing once over again. Blackwell's dormitory curfew was at 9pm, so everyone must be in their own rooms by now. All she had to do was retrace her steps from last night, quietly run across campus, and catch the last bus of the night heading towards Chloe's neighbourhood.

Max stood up and ran her hand up and down her arm. She felt awkward and weird about going to see Chloe, but she didn't question her instincts since she knew she could always rewind and not go at all.

Chloe is always worth it.

She walked across her room to the place she kicked off Rachel's clothes. As she stepped into Rachel's ripped jeans and pulled them up her legs, Max couldn't help but wonder whether Chloe had ever been the one to seductively pull these pants off of _Rachel_. Max quickly pushed that thought to the back of her mind; but, no matter how far she pushed it back, the thought lingered. Then, Max put on Rachel's red checkered flannel top, grabbed her book bag, and made her great escape.

Sneaking out was now familiar territory so Max didn't have any trouble getting out of the dorms and catching the bus. Throughout the bus ride, Max was alert and anxious about how Chloe would react to her coming over after their tense fight. There was only one other person on the bus - a man in a suit and briefcase sitting at the back of the bus who paid her no mind.

The bus passed the lighthouse, which definitely looked creepy alongside the black, star-less night. No matter the strange occurrences in Arcadia Bay, Max was always pulled back towards Chloe. It's as if there was some sort of link between them. The bus finally pulled up to the bus station in Chloe's neighbourhood twenty minutes later. As Max thanked the bus driver and got off, she immediately felt the night air on her face. The night was warm and heavy.

She glanced up around the neighbourhood, looking at the row of similar suburban houses that planted the street one after the other. Max and Chloe had so many childhood memories in this suburban neighbourhood that Max couldn't help but feel nostalgic. She longed for something more and she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was.

The walk from the bus station to Chloe's house was about seven minutes. The brunette anxiously jogged towards the Price household. Out of breath, she saw the truck parked out front.

 _You can't just ring the doorbell, Max._

 _Think, Max, think ... how can you get to Chloe without getting noticed?_

Max looked up the side of the house.

Chloe's window was visible and there was a dim light on, which meant Chloe was probably having her nightly smoke break. When David busted Chloe for smoking last week, they had ended up sneaking outside of Chloe's room through her window, carefully climbing onto the roof, and climbing down the side of the house.

Last week it seemed so much easier, but now it was dark, Max was alone, and she wasn't sure what kind of Chloe would be on the other side of the window.

Max pushed away any thoughts of uncertainty and reassured herself with her safety option - she could always rewind and make sure this never happened. Her rewind power was her own brand of courage.

Max quietly sneaked to the side of the house, making sure to not make any noise and bring attention to herself.

 _A random girl sneaking on the side of a house at night? Not suspicious at all. *Sarcasm*_

Max's heart was racing as she climbed up the house. With every step, a new 'what if?' question popped up into her mind. But Chloe was her safe haven. Her sanctuary. Max was determined to see her.

After a rather few dozen muttered swear words, the lengthy struggle up the side of the house had come to an end as Max pulled herself up onto the roof and crawled towards the window.

Chloe's window was closed, but she could see a dim lamp illuminating the messy room. Chloe's radio was blasting a hardcore playlist as she lay on her bed, gazing up at the cloud of smoke that she had just exhaled.

Max immediately tensed up when she saw Chloe. Seeing Chloe's room reminded her of their kiss earlier that morning. It seemed like ages ago.

If Max knocked on the window, Chloe would probably not hear.

 _Plus, that would be uber creepy of you, Max._

Unsure of what she would even say when she saw Chloe, Max instead pulled out her cell phone and starting texting Chloe.

 **Max: I'm outside**

Max saw Chloe reach beside her where her phone lay and read her text. Chloe, who was laying on her back, sat up onto her elbows as she read. Her sullen face shot towards the window. Chloe's eyes widened when she saw Max and immediately stood up beside her bed. She quickly rushed from her bed and opened the window.

For the longest time, Chloe remained quiet.

"Hi," Chloe said, her eyes still wide.

A few seconds passed and Max replied, "Hi." It came out almost as a whisper.

Chloe quickly snapped out of it. "Uh, Max! What the fuck are you doing here?" Chloe seemed less angry now and just more surprised than anything.

"Well, I uh ... I don't know, I guess I just wanted to _––_ "

"Shh, just come in before anyone sees you. After what happened with David, my mom is NOT taking shit well and if she catches you here, she will flip her shit," Chloe quickly stated.

Max noticed the wet streak on her blue-haired friend's cheek.

She had been crying.

Although it wasn't her fault, Max couldn't help but feel guilty for just leaving Chloe in such a bad spot.

Chloe hurriedly moved aside to let Max climb into her room. Once Max was inside, the bluenette poked her head outside the window to make sure no one saw any of this, and shut the window back up.

With her back towards Max, Chloe wiped any trace of vulnerabilities from her teary eyes. Chloe turned to Max and started the interrogation.

"Why did you come all the way here, Max?" Her tone was direct and serious.

"You've got to listen to me, Chloe. I told you in the truck but you wouldn't believe me; it is _no one's_ fault! You saw that Frank had Rachel Amber's bracelet so you know they had something between each other," Max quickly shot back.

"No Max, you don't get it!" Chloe turned around and threw her hands in the air, reaching for her weed.

"Look Chloe, I know you've been through so much shit already but you've got to stop being like this and pushing me away! I'm on _your_ side and ..." Max said more quietly, "I need you to be on mine."

Chloe scoffed. "Did you come back for your camera? Is that why you came here? I get it. It's still in the truck if that's what you were wondering," Chloe casually said, taking a puff.

Max was so frustrated. How could Chloe be so open and personal with her just a few hours ago, and yet be so passive aggressive and distant now? She walked across the room towards Chloe in an attempt to physically close up the distance between them.

Max lightly grabbed Chloe by the arm and spun her around to face her.

"Chloe! It's not about the damn camera!" Max yelled.

Chloe grabbed Max loosely by the wrists and pressed her against the bedroom wall. Chloe leaned into Max so that Max could feel Chloe's chest and abdomen against her own.

Max immediately felt hot with the pressure of Chloe's body lightly pressed up against hers.

"Max, shut up! My mom is in the next room!" With every word, Max felt Chloe's hot breath on her lips.

 _Woah_ , Max thought. Chloe was a bit taller than Max and her big eyes intensely stared down into Max's.

 _I think I might actually feel something more for Chloe._ Max's thoughts raced. Chloe still hadn't let go of her wrists which were pinned down against her sides onto the wall. Chloe's hips lightly swayed on Max's, causing Max feel like warm honey was stirring around her lower stomach. Max was aware. Oh so aware.

Max lowered her guard, glanced up at Chloe's eyes, and both of the girls tensed up as a result.

Despite Chloe's loud metal playlist, the two girls snapped out of it when they heard the house phone ring downstairs. Chloe's head shot towards her door. She let go of Max, swiftly moved to her radio and turned down the volume.

"Shh!" Chloe said to Max, who was still leaning against the wall, breathless and confused. Max looked down at her wrists and still felt Chloe's warm touch.

Chloe leaned up against her door and pressed her head against it in hopes of hearing who could be calling at this time.

Joyce was evidently awake since she quickly shuffled from her room and hurried downstairs to pick up the demanding phone.

"Hello?" Joyce's voice could be slightly heard from Chloe's room. "Yeah, but I wasn't supposed to work tonight! ... I guess I can. ... I can drive right over, but it'll be another 15 minutes till I get there. ... Alright, see you soon," Joyce continued.

Chloe heard the click of the phone being put down.

"CHLOE?" Joyce yelled from downstairs. Chloe shot a glance at Max. Joyce was coming up the stairs and with every stair she climbed, the closer she would get to finding Max in Chloe's room. After the fight between Joyce and Chloe and David, Max knew one thing: she did _not_ want to make things any worse than they already were by being found here. She had already contributed to the Price family's fight by taking sides against David and getting him kicked out of the house.

"Not this again," Chloe shot a panicked whisper, "Quick Max! Find a hiding place!"

Max was still in a daze from trying to digest why she felt so _good_ because of Chloe when she snapped out of it with the sound of Chloe's worried demand. Quickly moving her head from left to right towards potential hiding spots, she decided on the ol' trusty closet. It worked when David barged in, so why not use it again? Although Joyce is way nicer than David and she actually _liked_ Max, she would still be annoyed with finding her in her house at this hour, especially after the build-up fight with David today.

Max rushed to the closet and quietly opened the door. With a look towards Chloe's wide eyes, she shoved herself inside and shut the door...

Just as soon as Max shut the closet door, Joyce opened up Chloe's bedroom door. Joyce didn't bother to step inside Chloe's room and instead stood underneath the door frame.

 _Thank god,_ thought Max. _She would have seen Chloe's stash of weed that's still lit up on Chloe's cigarette tray._

"Chloe," Joyce said. She looked tired and fed up. "I got called into work at the diner to cover Liz's night shift. Apparently she got sick or something or other."

"Okay ..." Chloe tried to not sound suspicious.

"When David left to the hotel this evenin', he took the car. I'm going to have to take your truck to work, okay Chloe?" Joyce asked.

"Uh, sure mom. Whatever. I don't care." Chloe shifted her eyes nervously. At least, she was relieved that the call did not concern her. Usually, random phone calls came from the police station or from neighbour complaints about Chloe's reckless behaviour.

"Alright, thank you darlin'. And one more thing. Thanks for being honest today about David spying on everyone."

Chloe gave Joyce a nervous smile as she let out a "Hm." She shut the door but did not dare tell Max to come out until three minutes later when she heard Joyce drive off with her truck.

Consciously, Max realized that the two of them were now home alone, with Joyce at the diner and David at a hotel in town.

Chloe walked up to her shelf and turned up the volume of the metalcore playlist that was previously playing.

 _Chloe can't ignore this talk and she can't drown out our fight,_ Max thought to herself.

Max dragged the closet door open, closed it behind her, and remained where she was in front of the closet with her right hand nervously resting on her left arm.

She hesitated before saying anything because she was tired of arguing with Chloe. Chloe walked up towards her.

"Thanks, for uh, not blowing my cover. Enough has happened here today and my mom didn't need that. Anyways, at least the asshole David is gone ... for now at least. So thanks. I'm glad you backed me up." Chloe sounded way more chill now.

Max started saying, "You know I'm here for you _––_ "

Chloe interrupted, "But anyways, I guess you can't get your camera since it's in the truck with Joyce now. She'll be back early tomorrow thought if you wanna _––_ "

Max interrupted her back. "I said it isn't about that, Chloe!"

Chloe walked up towards Max. "So what then? Is this about Rachel? Or my dad? I already told you. I am so fucking pissed off at them and I don't want to talk about it."

"It's not about Rachel either, or your dad! Damn it Chloe, you are so blind!" Max let loose. She had been holding in all of this tension and needed to speak her mind. "CAN'T YOU SEE? I'm here for you!" Max exclaimed.

"Always," Max added, but this time it was more of a whisper. "You know we're connected somehow, and it's not only because of my power. We were connected before and we are connected now, no matter my rewind ability," Max said while staring up at Chloe's eyes.

Chloe's eyebrows were pointed down; although she looked angry, she also looked sad and confused. Chloe was hurting and comforting her friend was the only thing on Max's mind.

Max wanted Chloe to be close to her again, but she kept going. "So no. This isn't about my camera or Rachel Amber or your dad!"

Max took a step towards Chloe, her face inches away from Chloe's. "It's about me and you," Max lightly spoke. "You're my best friend. Hell, Chloe, you're the only one I can talk to. And you're hurting, I know. But you can't keep pushing me away! You've been through so much shit in the past. Been lied to, been left hanging ..." Max felt a pang of guilt in knowing that she was on Chloe's list of 'Important People who Left Me', but it was intertwined with a feeling of need. Chloe smelt like cigarettes and sweetness. Max continued.

"But I'm here now. You're my partner in crime, Chloe. I need you," Max gently said.

"I feel like you and everyone else on this planet can just straight up leave me at any fucking moment. Just like you did before," Chloe said.

"No, Chloe." Max's face was inches away from Chloe's. Chloe stared at Max and her once-sullen face slightly brightened up. She looked down, gave Max the classic Chloe half-smile, walked over to her radio, and turned up the volume.

After a few moments, Chloe slowly walked back towards Max.

"So Caulfield," Chloe smirked, "You took the last bus here? That's pretty badass. Even though you had the balls to kiss me, I didn't think you had it in you to sneak out of your dorm alone. I mean, yesterday I _made_ you sneak out ... but you did this all by yourself tonight!"

Max's thoughts started racing again. "I, uh..." Max stuttered.

"I'm impressed, Caulfield."

"You underestimate me, Price," Max retaliated. "And I would never say no to a dare. But ... let's see if you have it in you to do the same."

Max bit her lip and said, "I dare _you_ to kiss me."

 _Oh my god, Max. Where is this coming from?_ Max immediately thought to herself.

Max stopped time and considered whether to take that back and just keep her mouth shut.

 _Chloe means so much to me, but what are you_ doing _Max? You definitely like boys, right? Right._

 _Like Warren and Justin and all the other skater boys._

 _... Right?_

 _But Chloe just feels so right, even though it's so weird. I think I want to see where this goes. Plus, I can always rewind back in time!_ Max convinced herself to allow her actions to happen and she resumed time.

"Haha, what? I can't believe you're daring _me_ to do that! Fine!" Chloe flashes one of her smirks and looks down at Max.

Chloe aggressively lifted her hand up to cup Max's face and hair. She pressed her body up against Max's.

Chloe's face was still smirking while Max once again was pushed up against Chloe's closet door, with her hands alongside her body palming the back of the wall for support.

"Alright, Caulfield," Chloe slyly said.

Before Max could think about doing anything else, Chloe's lips crashed into Max's with amazing force. Her fingers tangled in her hair and Max couldn't help but return the favour.

When Max kissed Chloe, it was quick and clumsy. This time though, Chloe made it raw and intense and oh so much longer. Max raised her hand to Chloe's hair, but Chloe grabbed her wrist and pressed it up against the wall, causing Max to let out a soft moan of resistance.

Chloe pulled away gently and stared at Max for a few seconds, but Max was busy eyeing Chloe's plump wet lips which were now swelling.

 _Woah_ , Max thought.

 _That was fucking amazing! I can't believe she actually ––_

Chloe's lips crashed back into Max's, but this time Chloe bit on Max's bottom lip and pried her lips open. Chloe took to opportunity to lightly suck Max's tongue into her mouth and massage it with her own. It felt so wonderful and right that it sent shocks running throughout Max's body, causing Max to arch her back off of the wall to be closer to Chloe. To feel her warmth.

Chloe reacted by pressing her toned lower stomach against Max. Chloe's hand moved away from Max's cheek and made its way up towards her hair. Chloe playfully tugged on her short brown strands, releasing another, "Mmhn" from Max. With her hair in her hands, Chloe guided Max's head towards the wall, breaking the intense kiss and leaving Max mid-pucker.

Chloe stole the air from Max's lungs, leaving her breathless and causing a sharp inhale.

Max was hot and wanting.

"So ... girls: yay and boys: nay?" Chloe smirked.

Max found it in herself to respond, "You are such a dork."

But really, Max's mind was racing a million times an hour.

 _What just happened?_

She made her thoughts clear. "Chloe, what just happened?"

Max was now honestly so confused. She felt awkward to ask this, but she had to know. She loved the way the tension between them melted when their bodies were pressed up against each other. She definitely wanted more, but she couldn't figure out why.

"I don't know Maxine, I'm just following your dare," Chloe innocently said with a devious smile on her swollen lips, "But no one has to label anything. Just let this be. Whatever THIS is."

 _She's right_ , Max thought. _I don't know what_ this _is, but I do know that Chloe and I have been through so much shit together and this feels right somehow._

 _Chloe's changed so much since we were smaller. She's so much edgier now ... but then again, I changed too. And Chloe is so hella perfect!_

"Uh, yeah." Max looked down at the floor awkwardly since she honestly did not know how to respond.

"What is with you Max? Do you not want this?" Chloe was serious now. She never once broke her intense gaze into Max's eyes.

"No it's not that - I just - I ..." Max stuttered.

 _Damn it!_ Max's stutter gave her away. Although she was confused, one thing was sure.

Chloe's smirk returned. "You so want this, Caulfield."

The dim-lit room, the night sky, the blasting hardcore music, Chloe pressed up against her. It was all so perfect. They were all alone. So perfectly alone.

And the truth was that yes, she did want this. Badly.

Max bit her bottom lip again, her lowered eyes slowly raising up to meet Chloe's. Max grew braver and leaned in closer to Chloe. Max didn't have anything to say so she didn't respond.

She didn't have to. Chloe took that as cue to press her moist lips against Max's now-plump lips. Without disconnecting the kiss, she gently pressed her thighs up against Max, pushing her arched back flat against the wall.

Chloe did all the right things at the right time, while Max innocently responded to her body. Her insides were so hot and sensitive; she could feel herself getting wet. Max was so in need, and with the taste of Chloe in her mouth, she let out another gentle moan. Chloe pulled back a few inches, breaking the kiss. Her slightly open, puckered mouth was heavily breathing against Max's lips.

Chloe used her free hand, the hand that was not pinning Max's wrist against the wall, to find Max's other hand. She grabbed it by the wrist but instead of pinning that one down too, she guided Max's innocent hand towards Chloe's waist.

Max slid her curious hand underneath Chloe's white punk rock tank-top to feel her warm toned side. Dirty thoughts flooded into Max's mind.

 _I want to feel every inch of her pressed up agianst my body. I wish we had less clothing ..._

Max innocently tugged Chloe's waist closer against her own, causing Chloe to let out a soft moan.

Max's free hand explored the front of Chloe's abdomen, feeling the smooth, burning skin of her tummy. But it wasn't enough. She slid her hand upwards to feel her way to Chloe's bra. She remembered the way her breasts looked in her black bra when they went swimming last night.

To Max's touch, Chloe responded by gently grinding up against Max's hips.

Wanting.

No.

 _Needing_.

Max's innocent hand cupped Chloe's breast, feeling how perky and firm it felt against her warm palm.

Chloe's shirt was driving Max insane. She wanted to see and touch more, but the shirt was in her way. Max slipped her hand off of Chloe's breast and made her way up Chloe's smooth back. Her hand found its way to Chloe's bra clasp and Chloe took that as a cue.

Chloe once again pulled away from Max, letting go of Max's wrist. With a step back, she lifted her shirt above her head and threw it on the floor. Smiling at Max, she walked back towards her.

 _She is so beautiful. I wish I had my camera. This would be the perfect photo ..._

Max's lips tingled as she eyed Chloe's pale, exposed skin. Her black bra displayed her perky breasts and her arm tattoo looked so good on her porcelain skin. Chloe's bullet necklace hung down between her breasts, laying perfectly within her cleavage.

"No fair, Max. I take something off, you take something off. Rules." Chloe's eyes had a predatory look.

Max realized she was still wearing Rachel Amber's red checkered flannel top, so she awkwardly slid that off and let it fall to the floor.

Max missed the friction of Chloe's hips grinding against hers, so as Chloe walked towards her, Max slid her thumbs in the waistband of Chloe's jeans. This time, Chloe didn't pin her wrists against the wall.

Although Max didn't know what she was doing, she played her luck and continued. She took out her thumbs from her jeans waistband and instead slid in all four of her fingers of both hands into the same place, with her thumbs resting outside of her jeans. Chloe liked the feeling of Max's fingers against her hot lower stomach so she gave Max a seductive sneer. Max moved her fingers along her waistband until her hands were right underneath Chloe's belly button. The tips of her fingers could feel the thin, light hair of the older girl's nethers.

Max clumsily tugged the waistline of Chloe's jeans and Chloe was sharply pulled up against Max.

"Damn, Max ..."

Max panted as Chloe took the hint. She guided her hands down to her zipper and pulled her jeans off, removing another layer of material between them. Chloe was wearing tight blue briefs for underwear with little lightning bolts on them.

"Your turn," Chloe said as she slid her almost-naked body up against Max.

Chloe kissed Max intensely while letting her lips trail down to her neck. She roughly began sucking, sending little bolts of electricity through Max with every nibble. Max began panting heavily while Chloe moved her hands onto her ass. She then trailed her warm hands from Max's ass and rested it on her lower back as she moved her mouth from her neck and pressed her lips against her mouth for a deep, slow kiss.

"Chloeee ..." Max whispered, half-lidded and dazed.

Chloe was satisfied. She finally had Max to herself.

She gently urged Max's shirt off until they were both in their bras. Max's pink cotton bra was cute compared to Chloe's, but Chloe liked that.

Max's boobs were smaller than Chloe's. Chloe brought her mouth towards the flat area between Max's breasts and started kissing. Her hands trailed down Max's stomach painfully slow leaving trails of heat from her fingers on Max's skin. She fiddled with Rachel's ripped jeans while finally dragging them off.

Chloe herself was really turned on and was definitely eager so feel Max's wetness on her fingers ... her tongue ...

Max was wearing a pair of cute, soft grey panties. The light grey material made it obvious to Chloe that Max was really wet. The darker grey spot on her underwear between thighs just made Chloe more wet herself.

Chloe kissed Max deviously, pressing her up against the wall, while trailing her hands against her perfect back. Chloe dragged her nails against her lower back, causing Max to shiver and moan in her mouth. Without breaking the kiss, Chloe raised her hands away from Max towards her own bra. She unhooked it while allowing Max to stare at her perky breasts and her nipples, which had become hard from rubbing up against Max. Chloe's bullet necklace now lay between her two small mounds as Max gently raised her hands onto both of her breasts. With Chloe's free hands, she unclasped Max's baby pink bra and let it fall to the ground, causing Max's skin to shiver.

"Tell me what you want me to do," Max whispered. She was admittedly new at this, to Chloe's delight.

This time, Chloe grabbed both of Max's wrists and pinned them against the wall above her head. She grinded her body up against Max, allowing her pert breasts to press up against Max's.

It took Max a moment to realize what Chloe's free hand was doing. She traced her insides of Max's bare thighs. Chloe gently cupped the warmth between Max's legs through the thin fabric of her grey panties.

Max let out a sharp inhale as Chloe felt the moist material, pressing her fingers harder against the warmth, earning a drawn out "Mmmmhnn."

As a reflex, Max's hips gently thrust forward into Chloe's hands, pressing Chloe's fingers tighter against her throbbing need, begging to feel more. Max rocked against her fingers more roughly.

Chloe understood what she needed. Chloe wanted to feel Max in the most intimate way possible, but she had to take it slow so as to not freak Max out.

Chloe slowly slid her thin hand down Max's panties, past her hair. She slid one of her fingers along her wetness and Max let out another drawn out moan.

"Dude ..." Chloe whispered as she grinned, "You're so freakin' wet." Max bit her lip in response. "I did this to you, you tease," Chloe proudly continued.

Max let out an airy pant and met Chloe's eyes. She was now so sensitive that she was already slowly pulsing against Chloe's finger.

Chloe slid out her wet finger from Max's soaked underwear, raised it, and put it in her mouth, slowly licking it dry. She then kissed Max in order to have Max get a taste of what she tastes like. Chloe slowly hooked her thumbs into Max's underwear and pulled her panties to her knees. She dragged her hands across Max's ass and returned to pinning her two wrists to the wall while bringing her finger between Max's thighs. She slipped her already-wet finger into Max while Max let out an airy "Fuckk." At first, Max's tightness caused slight pain but the pain quickly dissolved as Chloe started slowly pumping in and out of her. Chloe then slipped in a second digit and started curling her fingers with every thrust. Max panted as bit of liquid dripped out of her and along her thigh.

Max's back was arching into Chloe's fingers. Chloe was enjoying this though, so she teased Max by slipping her fingers out of her and tracing her wet digits around Max's nipple. While letting go of her wrists, Chloe gently tugged Max downwards and led her to the floor.

As Chloe brought herself to the floor as well, she could feel the friction of her thighs in her wet underwear. She could tell she was puffy and turned on down there.

Now, Max was sitting up against the wall with her legs spread open for Chloe.

"I'm ... waiting ..." Max offered as she smiled.

Chloe kneeled and laid flat onto her stomach, the floor cold on her nipples. She kissed the inside of Max's tense thighs as she made her way to the most intimate part. Chloe loved how she smelled; it was sweet and all hers.

With her swollen lips inches away from Max, Chloe innocently looked up at her girl to make sure she was okay with this pace. Chloe took Max's look of bliss as a sign and she intensely pursed her lips onto Max's hard clit. Max slightly tensed and tightened her thighs against Chloe's blue hair.

Chloe herself moaned with the taste of Max in her mouth, her moan letting out a light vibrattion which Max evidently felt.

Max's hands, which Chloe previously thought to be so innocent, grabbed her blue hair and pressed her tongue deeper into her wetness. Chloe nibbled on Max's clit and then slid her tongue in repetitive figure-eight movements.

With every suck, Max let out a gentle "Fuckkkk~"

Chloe was definitely loving Max's reactions. She felt so good to be able to do this for Max. And after this whole tense fight with Max earlier today, she wanted to bring Max to the edge.

Chloe now had put her two fingers back into Max and continued pumping in and out while her tongue worked its magic on her clit. With every second, Max could feel a coil in her lower abdomen winding up and tightening with every move.

"Chloe ... I think ... I think I'm _––_ "

Hearing her girl moan was music to Chloe's ears so she aggressively pumped her fingers into Max and licked her wetness faster.

That was enough for Max's release. Max's moan was raw and loud. Chloe could feel Max pulse around her fingers. She looked up at Max, who was now quivering and trembling with pleasure.

Underneath her, Chloe saw the glistening wetness that split on the floor underneath Max. Chloe made her way up to Max until the two were face to face. She took her wet fingers and gently dragged them against Max's bottom lip, coating her lip with her own sweet liquid. Chloe intensely stared into Max's eyes and gave her a sweet peck.

"That was ..." Max began.

"Hot," Chloe interrupted, feeling proud that she got Max to open up and cum for her.

"But," Chloe said as she rose to her feet, "we're not finished." She smirked and lifted Max up to her level. Chloe took Max by the wrist and pulled her towards the edge of the bed.

"My turn," Chloe smirked in her predatory way.

Both of the girls were standing face to face as Max thought to herself, _Oh man, how am I supposed to beat that? I have no idea what to do and Chloe is so must better at this than I am._

She eyed Chloe seductively. No matter what, Max made it her mission to please Chloe.

Still on the high of her orgasm, Max gently pushed Chloe to sit on the edge of the bed. Chloe immediately responded by grabbing Max by her ass and pulling her towards her.

To the sound of her blasting hardcore music, Max climbed on top of the bed and straddled Chloe's lap, her wetness staining the top of Chloe's tight boxer briefs. She began slowly kissing Chloe while slowly grinding her hips on Chloe.

Chloe was bare all except for her underwear and her dark blue beanie. Max glided her hands from Chloe's perky breasts to her hair and she pulled off the beanie. Max lightly tugged on Chloe's pink and blue hair without breaking their innocent butterfly kiss.

Chloe let out a gentle moan while leaning back onto her elbows. Max pushed her down further so that Chloe laid completely down underneath her. Chloe slid her wandering hands up Max's straddled thighs while Max controlled Chloe's head and neck with her hands.

"What do you want me to do?" Max innocently asked.

"You know what," Chloe breathed.

Max un-straddled the brunette and moved towards her side. She wanted to touch Chloe the same way Chloe touched her from the best position possible. The two girls then scooted up towards the centre of the bed and turned on their side to face each other. Chloe ran her hand from Max's hip to her sunken waist while Max nervously but slowly slid her curious hand between Chloe's thighs. Chloe split her legs a bit for Max but Max didn't dare touch Chloe there yet. Instead, she reached farther back and grabbed Chloe's ass from between her thighs, pulling Chloe further into her.

Max continued laying sweet kisses on Chloe's moist lips until she dragged her fingers from Chloe's ass up towards her and rubbed her mound through the thin fabric of her underwear. Chloe lifted her head with her eyes closed and hummed a soft moan. Max continued rubbing and Chloe started thrusting towards her, grinding up against her fingers which were now wet from the wetness that soaked through Chloe's underwear. Max sat up and fingered the hem of Chloe's underwear. Slowly, she peeled them off of Chloe and threw them on the floor with the rest of the abandoned pile of clothes.

While still kneeled in front of Chloe, who was laying on her side, Max put her hand on the Chloe's closed thigh and opened her up, shifting her onto her back, bare and raw in front of Max.

Max's greedy eyes took in all they could. She imagined that Chloe's pale inner thighs would have hickies tomorrow morning after this. Max leaned in and began kissing the area underneath Chloe's navel. She dragged her lips to her hip bones, roughly sucking and nibbling. Her needy mouth made her way around Chloe's wetness and to her inner thighs.

"Oh ... my ... god ... Max," Chloe panted.

Max knew she was teasing Chloe, but she loved every minute of it. Alongside time rewind, her newly discovered power was making Chloe reach her climax.

It. Was. Amazing.

As Max worked down her thighs, Chloe massaged her own breasts roughly, pinching and rolling her nipples. Chloe let out a soft whimper from the sensation, and Max grew rougher and rougher with her sucking.

Max made her way to painfully slowly to reach Chloe's hot mound. Her wetness was sliding down her ass and onto the blankets.

Max took two smooth fingers and ran them along Chloe's slit, spreading her wetness. Max started rubbing smooth circles around her clit and Chloe immediately flinched from sensitivity. The more Chloe's moans got louder, the harder she pressed on her clit.

With Max's name spilling from Chloe's plump lips, Max plunged two of her smooth fingers deep inside her.

The smell of her arousal hit Max and in response, she hurriedly leaned in for a desperate lick.

"Fuckkkk Max!" Chloe exclaimed with her eyes half shut.

Max continued sucking and nibbling on Chloe's clit, taking breaks to tease Chloe by kissing her _everywhere but_ where she wanted to. Max's fingers plunged faster and faster, deeper and deeper, feeling Chloe tighten up around her fingers.

Chloe then arched her back abruptly, let out a half moan and a half scream, and yelled, "UNNNNHHH, FUCKKKK!"

Chloe climaxed intensely against her hand, smearing her juices across Max's fingers.

Chloe tensed up as her whole body began to tremble, letting the warmth spread throughout her body as her release hit her.

Max sat up as Chloe, now on her side, pulled her legs into fetal position while allowing the sex trembles to take over. Max grabbed the blanket at the edge of the bed, brought it over Chloe and her, and flopped into bed beside her. They were now facing each other underneath the blanket; a safety; a safe haven.

Max scooted close into Chloe as Chloe slowly opened her eyes. A smirk appeared on her face and she said, "Damn, you're hardcore, Max."

Max was beaming. She couldn't believe that Chloe and her actually went all the way. She couldn't believe that she made Chloe cum. Her!

 _As if that actually happened!_ Max thought to herself.

Chloe pushed her body up against Max so that their belly buttons were touching. She took Max's hand, opened it wide, and kissed her palm sweetly.

 _It is so amazing to be with Chloe like this and be so_ close _to her. It is so fucking intimate._

"Hands down, greatest sleepover of my life," Max shyly said.

"You are such a geek, Max."

Max smiled like a dork as Chloe continued, "But you're right. The greatest."

Although Max was enjoying her sex-with-Chloe high, she still couldn't help but contemplate where the two girls stood.

 _This changes everything._ Max worriedly questioned herself, her sexuality, and her friendship with Chloe.

"But ... Chloe ... where does that leave us?"

Chloe gave Max one of her intense stares, which quickly turned into a playful chuckle.

"I trust you, Caulfield. Not just with my problems. I trust you with my body. I trust you completely."

That didn't answer Max's question so she kept quiet, hoping that Chloe would continue.

She did.

"Like I said, we don't need to label anything. I don't want to question our actions because I know one thing for sure. I like this and I like you. Life is too short to over-think things. But you know what they say ..." Chloe started.

"Friendships turned into relationships are the best kind." Chloe flashed her famous smirk at Max.

Despite Chloe's edgy and rough appearance, she could be so gentle and vulnerable with Max. Max loved her sweetness.

"You are amazing," Max whispered.

"And you're hella rad," Chloe replied.

"Mmm," Max shyly smiled.

Max's breathing evened out to match Chloe's.

The blue-haired girl offered her famous smirk. She grabbed the blanket, wrapping it tightly around them both. She snuggled in close to the brunette, her arm draped across her waist. Chloe lightly kissed the crook of Max's neck, breathing in deeply. "So hardcore."

* * *

 **A/N: Ouuuuff. That is all.**

 **Looking forward to write more of this Pricefield. xo.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	2. Questions

The crunch of the gravel and the engine dimming to a gentle stop nudged Chloe to wake up from her deep sleep. As she was coming to, light painted her closed eyelids a reddish orange.

Without opening her eyes, she kicked off the blanket to the edge of the bed. Her right hand, which was gently laying on her stomach, grazed up her body towards her sleepy face in an attempt to rub her eyes. As it grazed her chest, Chloe realized something.

 _No shirt._

 _No … shirt?_

The thoughts of last night came flooding back to Chloe's mind, causing her to snap her eyes wide open.

 _HOLY SHIT, CHLOE, YOU SLEPT WITH MAX!_

 _Score._

Chloe smiled to herself proudly as she rubbed her eyes.

The faint sound of keys unlocking the door downstairs caused all of last night's sweet memories to come crashing back to Chloe. She pushed herself up so she could sit up and lean on her elbows. Glancing down, she saw her naked body out in front of her. Noticing her feet intertwined with Max's, she turned her head to the naked sleeping body beside her. Max was sleeping on her side with her back turned towards Chloe.

From Max's feet, Chloe eyed her way up her friend's body.

 _Naked feet wrapped in mine._

 _Hot legs that were straddling me last night._

 _The slight curve of her hip curving down into her waistline._

 _A bare back, arched perfectly for me to hug from behind._

 _Her short brown hair, messy and hot._

 _Mm._

Downstairs, the front door closed loudly as Joyce took off her shoes, eager to quickly grab a snack and come upstairs and crash after a long night shift at the diner.

 _Fuck! If mom comes upstairs and sees Max here, she'll freak her shit on me. Not to mention she's naked … in my bed …_

Chloe sat upright in a hurry. She flopped onto a sleeping Max in an attempt to wake her – Chloe style. With her chest on Max's bare back, her hands on her shoulders, and her face in Max's ear, Chloe shook Max's shoulders and whisper-yelled, "Dude, wake up! My mom is home and we need to get out of here before she finds any evidence of our EXCRUTIATINGLY ROMANTIC LOVE NEST."

Max's hazy eyes dragged open and gave Chloe a sleepy, not-very-effective death stare. Death stares were more of Chloe's thing anyway.

"Wha?" Max lazily asked, not wanting to hear any answer that will require her to move.

Downstairs, Joyce could be heard opening the microwave and heating up a quick meal.

"We need to haul ass. Like now. My mom's home, so as much as I don't wanna, we need to get dressed. Looks like we need to pull off another Chloe and Max Sneak Out," Chloe quietly rushed.

 _My mom always comes up to my room after a night shift to wake me up and make sure I do something productive with my life … and don't sleep in until noon …_

Chloe got off of Max and jumped up off the bed, shamelessly walking naked towards the drawer. She found a clean pair of underwear and quickly slipped them on while almost falling over.

 _Hmm, guess Max also needs new undies … seeing how I ruined the ones from last night. Gosh darn Chloe._ Chloe searched through her drawer to pull out a clean pair of underwear and flinged it at Max.

She then walked over to the side of the bed and bent over the mixed pile of clothing – the pile of clothing from last night. A mixture of her and Rachel's clothes which Max had worn. Searching through them, she found her black bra and raised it up towards her chest to put it back on. With both hands wrapped around her back trying to hook on the damn bra clasp, Chloe turned her head and noticed that Max was now sitting up on the side of the bed and staring at her. Max had both arms supporting her tired body and her head slightly hung down. Her eyes found their way through her brown bangs to search Chloe's face. Chloe's laser beam eye contact shot towards Max, who immediately dropped her stare and looked away. Max had pulled up the blanket to cover her front.

 _Aw, she's shy. Nothing I haven't seen before … or kissed … or sucked … or … OKAY! Time to get my girl dressed. Fast._

In her underwear and bra, Chloe skipped back to the dresser and rummaged through the band tees. The wide assortment of band tees all looked the same: dark colours, similar style, badass graphic on the front. Mostly, all that changed was the different band name. It was easy for Chloe to pick out a top from her (sarcastically) wide assortment of shirts. She grabbed a black grunge tank top that had white scratchy lyrics of a metalcore band on the front and raised it over her head, grabbing at the shirt bottom to pull it down over her core.

 _Bra straps are gonna show. Meh._

Chloe stuck her hand down the top of her tank top and pulled her bullet necklace over her top. Still in her underwear, she shot Max a look and said, "Dude, did I stutter? Haul ass!"

Max wearily glanced at the pile of clothes on floor. Chloe followed her gaze to the chair across the room that carried Max's chlorine-infused clothes from two nights ago after their sneak-in at Blackwell's pool.

"Hmm, would it be weird if you wore another one of Rachel's outfits? Here, I'll pick something out for ya," Chloe said as she walked over to the closet and slid the door open. Without giving the clothes a second thought, Chloe grabbed a ripped pair of black jeans, a dark blue punk-rock tee, and another one of Rachel's checkered flannel – this time in dark green. Chloe piled her picks in her arms and threw them at Max to get dressed, who was now putting on her pink cotton bra that had fallen to the floor. Shyly, Max had turned her front away from Chloe while getting dressed.

Chloe then hopped into some blue jeans that were torn in various places along her thighs, wrapped a dark purple sweater around her hips and tied it at the front, and put on her black combat boots. Lastly, Chloe picked up her beanie hat from the floor and shoved it overtop her wispy blue hair.

By now, Max was all dressed and bending over to put on her sneakers. Chloe caught herself staring at Max from the corner of her eyes until she heard Joyce washing dishes.

 _Balls! She must be done eating and will probably come up here any minute now_ , Chloe thought to herself.

Once Max was done, she turned around to grab her book bag – ready to go.

 _Good girl._

 _But why is she so nervous?_

"Yo Max, what's crack-a-lackin'? You're not fooling anyone. Why are you so quiet?" Chloe asked.

Once she crossed the room towards Max, she noticed the dark reddish-purple marks on Max's neck hiding under her brown hair.

 _Evidence of a job well done, huh Chloe?_

Offering her sly smirk, Chloe faced Max and added, "So … did you fall neck-first onto the vacuum cleaner while you were cleaning or what?" Chloe snickered.

"Ha Ha, Chloe," Max sarcastically replied looking slightly amused, "But Chloe, I don't want Joyce to find me up here. I already caused enough issues by getting David kicked out to a hotel and I don't want her to have to deal with _this_ … whatever this is."

 _She totally changed the subject on me. Fair though, she doesn't want my mom to know she's here. I guess that's panicking her._

"Dontchu worry. I got this. But hey, we unfortunatelyyyyyyy won't be able to grab breakfast here. It's too risky," Chloe said.

"Yeah, let's just leave before I get found out," Max softly replied.

"Althoughhh," Chloe began the opening to another one of her smartass remarks, "I would be fine if my breakfast consisted of my tongue between your thighs."

Max's eyes grew wide and she quickly glanced away, her cheeks hinting with some blush.

"I … uh …" Max began.

 _Too early to joke, Chloe?_

 _But I wasn't really joking though._

Chloe let out a short snicker, which was quickly interrupted by the sound of Joyce climbing up the stairs.

"Let the master handle this," Chloe whispered as she jogged to her door.

"Wait," Max whispered in a panicked voice, "Do I hide?"

"Nah," Chloe smiled back at her.

Chloe then creaked open the door just enough so she could fit through and quickly closed it shut, which was perfect timing because that was the exact moment Joyce had made it up the stairs.

Although the door was closed, Max stood there awkwardly while listening to her blue-haired friend and Joyce's voices.

"Chloe!" The sleepy Joyce was startled by Chloe being awake before her routine wake-up call. "I didn't realize you were awake, honey! I was just comin' up to wake you."

"Hey mom … yeah. I decided to set an alarm today. You know … get in the good ol' habit of waking up early and doing … stuff. Productive stuff and shit."

Chloe was lying through her teeth, but Joyce was too overtired from a long shift at the diner to catch anything. Joyce slowly walked over to her bedroom as she replied.

"Alright, thanks again for lending me the truck. I'm going to drag myself to bed now," Joyce spoke sleepily, "Oh, and I brought a bunch of leftover muffins from the diner … downstairs in the kitchen cupboard …"

Joyce shut the door of her bedroom. As soon as Chloe heard the 'click' of the hinge, she turned around and entered her bedroom, making sure to shut the door closed behind her. She pranced towards Max who was awkwardly standing near the bedside, book bag in hand with an unreadable look on her face.

Chloe circled her pointer finger to her thumb and made the success hand gesture at Max, earning a relieved smile from the brunette.

"The motherload doesn't suspect a thing," Chloe smirked.

"But we still have to get out of here," Max hurried, glancing at her phone. "It's already 9:20am. Classes don't start until 10:00am and I think there's still time to finish up an assignment I had for Mr. Jefferson's class."

Chloe's smirk faded and Max continued, "Can you pretty please drive me to Blackwell? I can spend the morning in the photography lab editing an assignment."

"But Maaaaaax!"

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll have to make it up to you, Chlo," Max replied apologetically.

 _Lame. I really wanted to spend the day with Max! We haven't spent an entire day together since we were young. Hella lame._

Chloe wasn't having it. She wanted to hang out with Max, so hang out with Max is what she'll get.

 _Me? Taking no for an answer? Scoffff._

"Really Max? No can do. As the official driver of your chariot, i.e. my shitty truck, I hold the power of the chosen destination … which is definitely not the Blackwell shithole," Chloe jokingly said.

Max giggled, "You're a dork."

"But seriously though, I don't want to go anywhere near Blackwell. I don't want to run into the step-douche … or Frank … or Nathan. The list goes on," Chloe voiced.

Max empathetically agreed. Neither she nor Chloe wanted to run into any of those assholes.

Chloe continued, "Plus, it's the end of the world on Friday. Oh god that's tomorrow. Dude, Arcadia Bay will be freakin' pummelled by that tornado, right? You CAN'T just waste YOUR LAST MINUTES ON THIS HERE EARTH in _CLASS_." Chloe was frantically pointing down at the ground with every word for emphasis.

Max let out a long sigh. "Fine, I guess you're right. Class seems so insignificant these days when I know some freaky stuff is about to happen tomorrow … Maybe we can uncover more about my power in relation to my visions and other stuff like that," Max said, convincing herself.

After a few more moments of weighting the pros and cons, Max finally agreed. "Alright Price, let's go before I change my mind."

"ACE!" Chloe beamed but then quietly shushed herself when she remembered Joyce was sleeping in the other room.

 _Aw yeah! The power of Chloe's convincing skills are too strong._

Ever since Rachel disappeared, Chloe didn't have many close friends to hang out with. But now that Max was finally back, she wanted to spend all of her days just being with her and getting into all sorts of trouble.

Chloe walked over to the window and opened it wide. Facing Max and holding her hands to the window, she adopted a British accent and said, "Madame, your grand departure is situated this way here."

Max offered another chuckle at Chloe's ridiculousness as she made her way to the window sill. She climbed through the window and onto the roof slowly, so as to not make any loud noises that might wake Joyce.

Max turned back to see Chloe standing inside of the room, not following her onto the roof.

"Are you coming?" Max asked.

"I'll meet you downstairs at my truck. I need to leave through the house so I can grab my truck keys that Joyce left downstairs."

"Alright cool," Max replied as she smiled towards Chloe.

 _First she's awkward and now she's friendly. I cannot read this girl. Not even one word about last night. Weird._

"Let me just grab my things," Chloe began as she looked around the room, "And by things, I mean gun." She grabbed the gun she stole from David which was cautiously placed beside her bed.

Chloe saw Max glance at her.

With the gun in hand, Chloe made her way across the room. Before exiting her room and shutting the door closed, Chloe looked back at Max and said, "Just in case."

The two girls got in the truck and drove off – Chloe style. Of course, that meant that various skid marks remained on the drive way to mark their great escape.

 _Sweet shit! Got out undetected. Mannn, it would be so cool to just drive off with Max unnoticed and leave this place._

Chloe turned on the radio and flicked the volume dial up, hardcore music blasting. As Chloe rocked out to a screamo song with badass guitar riffs, Max shouted over the music, "Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet, Caulfield! Just … away."

 _I know exactly where we're going. The junkyard, boo yahhh. I just don't want Max to know yet since she flipped last time – 'cause of Frank and the train. I mean, she'll get over it. It was just a teeny tiny death scare._

Chloe began tapping her hands on the steering wheel as she sang along to the loud music, bobbing her head to the drums. Max loved her like this: so carefree and unwound. Max brought her arm up on the window ledge and rested her head, watching Chloe be Chloe. She loved the way the sun laced through Chloe's eyelashes. She was truly beautiful. Max realized that this would be a great candid shot of Chloe and she remembered that her camera was in the backseat of Chloe's truck. Winding herself behind the passenger seat, Max reached towards the backseat to grab her polaroid camera.

With the camera pointed to herself in her right hand, she stuck her arm outside of the opened window. Quickly, the flash of the camera snapped a selfie of the two girls: one cute, smiling brunette and one inattentive, unleashed bluenette.

With the flash of her camera, Chloe side glanced towards Max. "Woah woah woah babe. Photo shoots like these don't come free," Chloe joked.

"I'll be _sure_ to make it up to you," Max smiled as she grabbed the photo printout and shoved it in the book bag that was resting on her lap.

 _OH REALLY NOW, HUH CAULFIELD? IN WHAT WAY? *raises eyebrows seductively and winks* Wait, what? Chloe, you can't perform actions like that in your thoughts. FOCUS ON THE ROAD!_

"Photograph me like one of your French girls," Chloe joked and chuckled.

"That's not the way the quote goes, Price!"

"Oh yeah? Well … nice hickies," Chloe smirked.

 _The Chloe Price Smartass Moto: When no comeback comes to mind, make fun of Max's hickies._

"You ass," Max returned a smile and then proceeded to look out of the window. Trees, trees, and more trees. The road was quiet and empty, which ultimately made it very relaxing for Max.

Chloe's laugh faded into a gentle smile as she looked over at Max, who now looked lost in her own world.

 _Try not to stare, Chloe. Don't be a creep! But Max is_ so _cute. The way she's rocking those clothes. Not giving a shit … with me._

As they drove on, both of their individual thoughts were interrupted by the growl of Chloe's stomach.

Laughing, Max asked, "When was the last time you ate? God, I could hear your stomach over the music!"

"Yeaaaah, maybe we should grab some foodies before we keep driving. We're almost out of the glories of suburbia anyway. We'll reach the city soon and we can stop there to serve the pressing demands of my stomach."

After a few more minutes passed, the town became more visible. Luckily, Chloe took the opposite town entrance so they could avoid particular general areas like Blackwell or the Diner. Instead, Chloe took the quickest route to a small stop-and-go Asian eatery along the side of the harbour. The lighthouse was still visible, this time on the opposite side of their view.

Arcadia Bay was beautiful in the mornings, especially along the harbour. Chloe parked the truck like a maniac and shut off the engine. It was still early in the morning so the few spaces in the parking lot were pretty much empty.

"One teeny problem," Chloe meekly said, her eyes squinting and her pointer finger and her thumb close together to illustrate how 'teeny' the problem really was.

"Mm?" Max distractedly wondered as she removed her seat belt and opened the passenger door.

"I'm broke as fuck, dude."

Chloe examined her pockets for any change and when that failed, she stuck her hand in the truck's compartment – to her success, finding ten cents and a parking ticket.

As she showed Max, Chloe offered a dumb grin.

Max thought for a second or two until she replied in a frustrated tone, "Darn it, I have no money on me either."

The two girls got out of the truck and walked towards the eatery's entrance. It was open and the two girls could peek inside through the large windows. It did not seem overly busy inside. They remained outside, starving, thinking of a Plan B.

"Maybe we can just dine and dash? But wait … I've done that here before and I'm pretty sure the owners recognize me. I'm kind of hard to miss." Chloe's face was scrunched up while she thought out loud to herself and paced back and forth. Max was patiently standing off to the side, watching her friend. Though, Max thought Chloe's scrunched-up thinking face was definitely cute.

"Hold on!" Chloe exclaimed as she devised a plan. Or more like, plotted.

"Uh oh …"

"I got it! Wait ... Yeah! I got it. Okay okay okay," Chloe excitedly began, "Max, you were able to take Frank's keys right? By using your time power thingamajiggy?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So! That means you can carry anything you want while you rewind! Right?" Chloe asked.

"Mhm, so?" Max responded.

"So? So! Why don't you go in there and _get_ us some food!"

"Ohh no, Price. No way. I'm trying to use my powers for good! Stealing is _not_ good!"

 _Shoulda seen that coming._

 _Aw, Max is so kind and thoughtful. Cute. But. Me. Hungry. Now._

"Common – it _is_ a good thing! You'd be feeding me and y –"

Just as Chloe was pushing her master plan onto Max, the small eatery's front doors opened to reveal one of the few people both girls did not want to see.

Nathan.

He came out carrying three large boxes of white styrofoam take-out containers. He most likely was doing a breakfast run. He and the rest of Victoria's followers took turns grabbing take-out every morning before class to share within their group. They, of course, were too good for the school cafeteria. Rich kids.

 _What is that asshole doing here?!_

Nathan glanced up and noticed the two girls.

 _What the fuck. This town is so screwed up! No matter how hard to try to avoid people, you end up freakin' failing. I hate this shithole of a town._

"Well well well, if it isn't the two freaks. Max, you're looking more and more butch by the day," Nathan exclaimed.

 _Asshole_.

"Fuck off, dude!" Chloe quickly exclaimed, hands fisting into tight balls by her sides.

"I mean, LES-BE-HONEST here. You two definitely make a cute couple. Which one of you is the man in the relationship?"

"Ugh, go away Nathan!" Max hated seeing his face. She honestly wanted him gone. Not only was he a giant loser, but he also was the first time the topic of her and Chloe was brought up today since last night's … activities. He brought up something Max awkwardly wanted to avoid. Well, she wanted to avoid both the topic of her and Chloe _and_ Nathan altogether. Max continued, "Aren't you supposed to be suspended anyways?"

"Oh yeah. Thanks a lot for that, by the way, Maxine," Nathan snidely remarked. "Really. Now I have a few days off Blackwell's campus, so you actually saved me from seeing your ugly-ass face."

"I swear I'm going to punch him out," Chloe revved in anger. She rapidly wound up her right fist and aimed it at Nathan's general direction. She's done this before.

"No!" Max yelled. But before anyone could hear her, Max raised her right hand and slowed time to a stop.

Chloe's fist was brutally connected to Nathan's face.

It was truly a beautiful sight.

But she didn't want Chloe getting herself into any more shit because of Nathan. She was already probably hunted down by the Prescott family. They did not need this. It wasn't worth it.

As Max thought to herself in the frozen scene, she realized that Chloe did have a point about her powers. Of course, she would never go in the eatery and _steal_ food with her powers, though! That would be horrible.

… However, she could very well take the food from Nathan! Especially since he was carrying all of those take-out containers in his arms. At first, Max was very against stealing. But now that Nathan was the one she'd be doing it to, it didn't seem so bad. It actually seemed kind of alright. Splendid, even.

With her decision in mind, Max rewound the time to the point when Nathan came into view from the eatery's front doors. She saw Chloe's fist rewind back by her side and relax. Time was now frozen and although it was taking a lot out of her, it was worth it. In her frozen picture, she walked over to Nathan and the three white styrofoam boxes piled up in his hands. Max grabbed the two take-out boxes on the top, feeling accomplished.

With the food in her left hand, she kept her right hand up and rewound time even more until they were back in the truck.

Perfect. A little more and she would have started seeing red. Max slyly sneaked the food in her book bag to mind-blow Chloe.

She resumed time and everything replayed, just as a broken record would.

"One teeny problem," Chloe meekly said, her eyes squinting and her pointer finger and her thumb close together to illustrate how 'teeny' the problem really was.

"Mm?" Max played it out.

"I'm broke as fuck, dude."

"Oh really? Don't even bother looking in your pockets or the compartment. I already know you have ten cents and a parking ticket, WHICH by the way, is overdue."

Chloe eyed her confusingly. "Huh? Oh shit."

"Don't you worry. Once again Super Max comes to the rescue to save the starving girl! Woop!" Max exclaimed as she pulled up her book bag to uncover the two white styrofoam boxes of Chinese take-out.

"No way – did you just use your time rewind juju to steal!? Maxine Caulfied, well I never!" Chloe beamed as she started turning the keys to start the engine of her truck back up. "You burglar! You thief! I gotta say though, you make me hella proud, little badass in training." Chloe offered her famous smirk as she pulled out of the parking spot.

"Must be your influence on me, Price," Max smiled back proudly.

Max shoved the two containers of food back into her book bag and looked out the window as Chloe exited the parking lot. From the rear view mirror, she saw Nathan walk through the eatery's front doors, with only one box in hand. She couldn't help but smile. That asshole deserved it and so much more.

"You sly girl," Chloe commented as she looked in her rear-view mirror and drove towards the junkyard, smiling.

"I knew it! Of course you'd want to come back here, Chloe. Don't you remember the last time in the junkyard? With Frank and the train … you know, almost getting killed again and run over?! Or did those _tiny_ details slip from your mind?!"

Max stayed put in the truck as Chloe put the truck into Park and undid her seatbelt.

This time, Chloe turned serious. "You've protected me so many times Max, the least I can do is watch out for you in return." Chloe lifted the gun. "When David left, he didn't take much. That means his basement of bullets, guns, and other tools of his paranoia were left untouched … for me to grab. It's fully loaded," Chloe stated, glancing at the weapon in her hand and put it in her pants pocket. "Come on, walk with me." Chloe stared into Max's worried eyes and offered a genuine smile.

Max was unconvinced. Chloe hopped out of the truck, her black combat boots hitting the dirt, and walked over to Max's side.

She opened the passenger door to reveal her friend, still buckled up. Her eyes were curious, but her body remained.

 _It would be freakin' sweet to just walk with Max on the railroad tracks for a while._

Chloe extended her hand out to Max, hoping it would be grabbed in return.

Max cautiously and lightly took Chloe's hand. Instead of pulling her out, Chloe gently leaned in the car towards Max. Her face was dangerously close to Max's and Max's heart beat increased, ready for whatever delicious move Chloe was up to.

But Chloe instead used her other hand to reach over Max to unplug the seatbelt. Max let out a small, gentle exhale.

 _She was so holding her breath! I knew it!_

"Come on, Caulfield," Chloe said sweetly, grabbing Max by the hand and dragging her out of the truck towards the railroad.

But for some reason, their hands never disconnected and instead remained intertwined, fingers through fingers, palm against palm.

Once they reached the tracks, they unhurriedly walked in silence along the railroad tracks – one girl balancing on one track rail and the other girl balancing on the other – their hands sweetly hooked.

 _This feels so natural, holding Max's nervous hand, being alone together. So fucking natural._

"What?" Max asked. Chloe didn't realize she was smiling to herself.

"Nothing," Chloe responded, "You." Neither of the girls made eye contact.

The girls had been together for the entire morning and their night together still hadn't been brought up; although, despite their avoidance, both girls knew they needed to talk about it. Both Max and Chloe had their own fears about talking about what _exactly_ it was that they _did_ but their own personal curiosity echoed their fears with a desire to resolve their many unanswered questions, whether it by through rejection, friendship, or something more.

When Max didn't say anything, Chloe continued, "I'm not about to get mushy on you Caulfield, but ever since Rachel went missing, I honestly felt like shit … at least until we met up again."

 _Rachel. Where are you? I wish you were here. You and Max would get along so well._

"Chloe Price: the giant mushball," Max joked, but her laugh threw her off balance, causing her to wave her leg frantically trying to regain balance on the rail.

"Ahhh!" Max said as her balance attempt failed. She fell onto the side of the tracks which caused her to pull away from Chloe's hand. Immediately, Chloe felt the loss of Max's cute, nervous fingers interlaced within hers. Fingers that were in warm, pulsing places last night.

Chloe saw Max fail and started frantically giggling, holding her side with her arms as she snickered. Max joined in on the giggling as she got back onto the railroad tracks rail. This time, though, the girls didn't rejoin hands.

Max readjusted her flannel top which had shrugged off her left shoulder when she almost wiped out, exposing the pale ivory skin of her collarbone leading up to her shoulder.

Chloe's wandering eyes, of course, noticed.

 _Damn that flannel top. It is slowly driving me insane. I mean, I love Max in Rachel's clothes … but she does_ not _know what it does to me. The way she pulled up her top. The way the sleeves are just a bit too long for her and it hides the top half of her hands, allowing her fingers to poke out. Oh man, Max is so sweet and innocent. Except she wasn't hella innocent with me._

Chloe watched Max surreptitiously from the corners of her eyes. The more she thought about her and Max being intimate together, the more she lost another smidge of the grip on her insanity.

Although her wandering mind had unleashed several sweet predatory thoughts, Chloe gave nothing away.

"Dude, Rachel's clothes fit you so well, you know that? You actually rock. You should keep the outfit. It's not like she'd mind anyway. We always used to share clothes."

"I couldn't do that. But I do like how they fit me, though. You two were really close, weren't you?" Max thoughtfully asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Yeah," Chloe simply said. When Max didn't reply, Chloe noticed her discomfort.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Chloe finally asked, "Max, what is up with you? You're acting so weird and quiet today. What's bothering you?"

Max looked down at her feet. Somewhat to avoid the discussion of Rachel. But also to avoid yet another failed balancing act. Her arms were now outstretched as she trailed the train tracks rail. She nervously looked up at Chloe through her bangs, blushing.

Max considered just blurting it out and hesitated. Once she reassured herself with the courage of her backup rewind power, Max quietly said, "I think I lost my virginity to you last night."

Chloe stopped walking along the railroad tracks and jumped in front of Max, stopping her from being able to move forward. She wanted her undivided attention, so she grabbed Max's hands had fallen to her sides. Chloe searched the brunette's face and set her eyes on Max's. Max's shifting eyes slowly gazed up and met Chloe's intense, blue eyes.

As Max bit her bottom lip, Chloe responded, "Are you okay with that?"

 _She said that so nervously, gah! I cannot read her beautiful freakin' face! Is she regretting last night? I mean, I always thought she was straight, but now I don't know what to think …_

Max eventually replied, "Yeah, it's just so weird, though. I mean, I –"

"Hey. It doesn't ever have to happen again, Caulfield."

"I just don't know what to think. I'm questioning my identity here, Chloe! I'm not gay. I know that."

 _Okay Chloe, don't freak. Last night was fucking sweet, but you shouldn't have gotten your hopes up. Maybe last night was just a one-time thing for her. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck._

Max continued, "Buttttt … I just don't know. You're confusing me, Price."

 _She's giving me that sweet smile of hers now. Me confusing her? I think I'm pretty damn clear, Caulfield!_

"Well like I said last night, you don't have to label yourself anything, Max. Like I prefer what I prefer. I escape the damn definition of gay, straight or whatever. I just know what love looks like."

 _Oh. My. God. Chloe. CHLOE! The love word?! Really? Oh man oh man oh man._

 _But it's the truth._

Max smiled at Chloe and simply said, "You're the most important person in my life. I'm confused, though."

"Because of Warren?" Chloe asked, carefully searching Max's eyes.

"Not really. Maybe kind of. I said I'd go to a movie with him tonight."

Chloe remained silent for a few dragged out moments until she said, "Will you go?"

"Yeah, I promised him and he's so excited. I was kind of excited to go as well."

 _Ugh, what a downer. This Warren dude is hella annoying._

"Who is this so-called Warren exactly?" Chloe dropped her veil of vulnerability and put up famous joking smirk. "Let me meet your boyfriend, Max!"

 _Laaaame. Have I met this Warren before I was kicked out of Blackwell?_

"Remember the dude who got beat up by Nathan the day you ran into me in the parking lot?" Max tried to spark Chloe's memory.

"Mm, not really."

 _YES. YES I DO REMEMBER._

 _I know remember he stood up for Max and took the beating … which probably means he likes her. Hella lame._

Chloe was not exactly hiding her frustration well. Of course, her frustration was tinted with hints of jealousy, in which Max clearly noticed.

"I just don't know if I like him back. I mean he's cute and sweet, but …"

Max's tone changed from serious to jokingly, "HE IS NO MATCH FOR CHLOE PRICE, BADASS EXTRORDINAIRE!"

Chloe's tight mouth relaxed into an upwards curve, no doubt the famous Chloe smirk.

Chloe grabs Max's wrist and tugs her off the railroad.

Chloe mischievously turned her head around to face Max , "Common. I wanna show you something."

The two girls traced their steps and hurried back towards the junkyard.

Max slowed down and tugged the hand Chloe was holding. "Wait. I don't know if I want to hang around here. Last time, Frank found us here and …"

"I know. But don't worry. Last time, he _drove_ up here and now that YOU, miss thief, jacked his trailer keys and I threw them onto the Two Whales Diner roof. He can't drive over here and bother us. We will be alone, trust me. Just me and you, dude." Chloe reassured Max, who was now gripping the strap of her book bag with white knuckles.

"No one's going to bother us this time. No one else in Arcadia knows about this place … well, Rachel knew. Knows."

 _Fuck. Not past-tense. Rachel's still out there. And she_ knows _._

Max's body language showed that she trusted Chloe. She wanted to believe Chloe so they could spend the day together.

Just them. Warm air on skin. The sound of the train passing by every quarter hour.

 _Max has been stopping time to save my ass from all of this shit. I want to do the same for her. Today it could be like we stopped time. This place will be our own little universe, detached from all of the shit we've been facing this week, with the step-douche, Nathan, Frank, Victoria, Kate … and the whole … end of the world thing._

 _No biggie though. At least not today._

"Alright alright, lead the way, Price," Max playfully said.

Chloe eagerly grabbed Max's hand again and weaved her through the piles of broken junk until she reached her and Rachel's secret hideout. From the outside, the place looked as if someone had begun to build a house on the land but instead quit and abandoned it completely. The entrance was merely an unfinished doorway lacking a door, with metal and brick outlining its edges.

"Ta da! Behold the wonders of the girl cave!" Chloe exclaimed. Before Max could walk inside the hideout, Chloe excitedly cut in front of Max and put her arms on the entrance sides, blocking the entrance.

"What's the secret password?" Chloe asked, her face beaming.

"Chloe, you're such a dork," Max sarcastically said as she giggled.

"Ding ding ding! How'd you get the password right in one shot, you nerd?" Chloe responded jokingly. She moved aside and extended her arms out for Max to join her inside, "ENTER MADAME!"

Max walked inside the familiar hideout. However, this wasn't Max's first time here. The last time they were at the junkyard and Chloe wanted to go on a target shooting adventure, Max had stumbled into this secret area.

Inside, Max and Chloe were greeted by a small, dim room encircled by brick walls. The walls were graced with tons of graffiti – no doubt Chloe's art work. Looking down, Max saw the empty bottles of beer and various other random stuff bordering the room. Still, the place had a nice chill undertone to it. On the far wall a bookshelf and a chair lay underneath the frame of a window, in which the graffiti beside it sprawled "LALALAND THIS WAY" with an arrow pointing to the window. Max turned her attention to the left side of the room, where she saw the giant familiar elephant blanket stretched out alongside the whole of the wall – probably to divert the light from the unfinished gap in the wall. Beneath that, junk and more junk. More beer bottles, random posters and license plates pinned to the wall, empty pizza boxes. As Max looked closer, she noticed the sweet trinkets laying around that marked Chloe and Rachel's friendship: photographs, makeup, mixtapes, friendship bracelets, cigarette stubs that Chloe undoubtedly shared with Rachel.

Before Max could take everything in for the second time and say anything, Chloe exclaimed, "Oh hey! Look what we have here … my skateboard! I've been looking for this thing."

Chloe bent down to examine her toy which was tipped over, graffitied wheels in the air. As she was raising herself back up, Chloe was eye to eye with the graffiti on the wall.

CHLOE WAS HERE.

RACHEL WAS HERE.

Right underneath the duo, Max had added:

MAX WAS HERE.

"Oh? What do we have here? A new addition to me and Rachel's hideout, huh Caulfield? I like it! When did you get in here? Pretty neat, huh?" Chloe rambled.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you the last time we were here. The whole thing with Frank kind of distracted me and I forgot all about it up until now. It is really rad though. Seems like you and Rachel had your own little place. I hope I'm not intruding ..."

"Pfft. Never," Chloe walked over to the far side of the wall and stuck her head out the window, her arms leaning on the unfinished window frame.

Chloe began, "I found this place shortly after you left Arcadia Bay, Max. It was my home away from hell. It was even better when I met Rachel and she started coming here with me. Rachel and I both had such fucked up shit happening in our lives … so we created this place together. It was something beautiful made out of something shitty."

"It's a really cool place though," Max commented, standing in the doorway with her left hand grabbing her left arm, still a little embarrassed that Chloe found out her own little addition to the graffiti. More than anything, she just hoped Chloe didn't find it imposing.

"Yeah, it's fucking amazeballs. I'm glad you're here with me, Max," Chloe turned around to face Max.

"Me too. Thanks for pressuring me to skip school, Price," Max responded.

Chloe slowly walked over to Max and set her intense gaze on her eyes. "No. I mean, in general. I'm glad you came back and found me again."

The distance between the two girls was tight, and Chloe could feel the warmth coming off from Max's body. Chloe reached in her back pocket and took out the loaded gun. She strode over to the seating corner in the hideout and put the gun on the coffee table.

 _Better safe ..._

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted by another large growl of her stomach, which caused Max to erupt in laughter. Max walked over to Chloe, sticking her hand out in her book bag to take out the food containers and chopsticks that she had 'borrowed' from Nathan.

Instead of sitting on the benches that lined the walls beneath the giant elephant wall covering, Chloe sat cross-legged on the ground beside the small table and leaned on the bench with her back.

Max joined her friend on the floor, sitting in front of Chloe with her legs at her side. Max set the food out in front of them and handed Chloe a pair of chopsticks.

The two hungry girls dived in and stuffed their face with noodles.

"Mmmm, shtill wahrm," Chloe said in-between chews, "Maxsh, you gotta trhy my noodlesh!"

Chloe sweetly gathered the stringy goodness in her chopsticks and raised it up to Max's mouth, who gratefully obliged.

After a few more minutes of hungrily scarfing down their food, the two girls finished their meals. To their surprise, the girls also found two fortune cookies for dessert.

"You open it first, Max!"

"You don't actually believe in this stuff, do you?" Max asked, chuckling.

"Well, after these past few days, I'd probably believe just about anything."

Max ripped open the fortune cookie wrapper and snapped the cone in half. She delicately pulled out the tiny script and brought it up to her face. "Hmm, it says Find what you love, and let it kill you. Gosh, how dire," Max said as she giggled.

Following her moves, Chloe snapped open her fortune cookie as well. "Fucking weird. You already know the answer to the questions lingering inside your head. Okaaaaay, how effin' strange."

The two girls stuffed their face with the cookies and finished their meal happily.

"I swear, it takes so much better when it's stolen from that jerk-off Nathan. Thanks again Max," Chloe said as she pushed away the empty food containers across the floor. While remaining grounded, Chloe then extended one leg out in front of her and raised the other leg up in front of her, bent at the knee. She then turned towards the benches to grab something behind her.

"What do you need?" Max asked.

"I'm just grabbing some medicine. And by medicine, I mean smokes," Chloe slyly responded. She grabbed the empty pizza box that was placed on the benches and opened it, only to reveal a small stash of weed and smoking paper. "Good hiding place, huh?"

"Ew Chloe, don't tell me you're going to smoke up now!" Max claimed. Although, having never done such a thing herself, she was kind of intrigued. But more so grossed out.

"Hey! I didn't have time for my usual wake-and-bake … you know, with the whole thing of waking up to a naked chick in my bed and having to haul ass before my mom found out," Chloe stated.

Max eyed Chloe as she rolled the joint and placed the spliff between her puckered lips.

Max watched Chloe raise a lighter to her smoke, dragging in a long inhale, holding it in, and then slowly exhaling out. The smoke encircled Max. She felt like it surrounded her and pulled her towards Chloe.

Max raised her butt off the ground and crawled a little bit closer to Chloe.

"Hi," Max whispered, wide eyed.

"Hi," Chloe responded, with her chin slightly raised and a gentle smirk painted on her face. They were close now – close enough for Max to feel the heat of Chloe's body. But not too close, Max secretly hoped, for Chloe to hear her pounding heart.

 _Mmmmmmm fucking yes,_ Chloe thought. She was feeling hazier from each inhale and all she could think about was how close Max was to her … and how much clos _er_ Chloe wanted to get. Hazy or not, she was still alert and craving.

"The way the smoke curls up and surrounds you, Chloe. This would make such a great photo. And … I would take one, but what you're doing is _illegal_ ," Max smiled jokingly.

Although she wasn't joking about the illegal part. Chloe smoking pot definitely made her nervous.

But Chloe _in general_ made her nervous, too.

Chloe let out a light chuckle between smoke exhales and playfully said, "Max, shut up." Chloe leaned her face closer to Max's and entangled her fingers through Max's wispy brown hair.

 _Yeah … shut up and_ kiss me _! But don't go there Chloe. She said it herself – she's freakin' confused. Better not make it any worse. Don't rush, Chloe. Don't fucking rush. You_ don't _want to ruin this._

Chloe remained as she was – with one hand holding onto her joint and the other playfully curling through Max's hair. Max instinctively reacted to the sensation of Chloe's hand in her hair by gently leaning her face towards Chloe's hand.

Max was giddy and on edge. With those feelings, the naughty feeling of hunger for Chloe was combed out to the surface. Mostly, Max was itching to ask Chloe about where they stood. For real this time. No more joking around – she was serious. She needed to know.

They were alone in their own world. Together. The smell of Chloe's smoke soothed and relaxed Max, which coaxed Max further and further to open up to Chloe.

With a sharp inhale of breath and with the help of her new-found courage from second-hand high, Max quietly blurted, "Chloe. Why did you kiss me? Last night. Why did you kiss me?"

"Mmm, well you know I would never turn down a dare, Caulfield!" Chloe responded jokingly.

To her response, Max's hopeful eyes fell to the floor as a slight pout formed on her lips. Max faintly opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.

 _Oh man, Max is so fucking cute._

 _I kissed her because her innocent lips spelled out my name and I couldn't even think straight. I kissed her because she hella rocks my mind. I kissed her because …_

"I wanted to," Chloe said as she met Max's defeated stare with an intense gaze. With her fingers still intertwined in Max's hair, Chloe gently tugged on a few strands, signaling Max to scoot closer towards her. Max took the hint and crawled on her hands and knees until she was barely inches away from Chloe's face. As she was kneeling, Max rested her butt on her ankles in front of Chloe, who remained cross-legged and relaxed.

After a few silent moments, Max finally responded, "Really?"

Chloe gently tilted her head backwards and offered a light laugh, which was followed by another long drag of her joint.

"Hella fucking yes! Oh man … I wish Rachel was here."

To the sound of Rachel's name, Max's curious mood crashed. She no longer wanted to know about any of this. Max noticed how Rachel always seemed to be getting in the way of the two girls. However, Max left Chloe and she knew it. She had no right to be jealous of Rachel. Rachel saved Chloe. But she saved Chloe, too. Still, with the sound of her name, Max couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

"What's up Max? I mention Rachel and your face _literally_ sunk, dude. You know she knew about you," Chloe claimed. It was more of a statement than a question. Max didn't respond. "I always told her about you and she so wanted to meet you. Err… wants. Wants to meet you."

 _Present tense, Chloe! What is wrong with you! Rachel is still out there. Somewhere._

"I-I-I know, but –" Max started.

Chloe continued, "Look. I actually should be the one apologizing to you. I was a giant dick to you yesterday after you helped me sneak into Frank's trailer and sneak through his shit. It just that … I don't know, Max. It's just that I wasn't ready to find out _that_ about Rachel and Frank. She lied to me, Max. It's as if every single person I fucking trust manages to hurt me."

After taking this all in, Max quickly responded, "I know. I'm sorry. I was mad too, Chlo. But you have to _let me in_."

"I know. It's just freakin' hard to trust after everything. All of this shit." Chloe took another inhale of her joint and slowly exhaled around the two girls. "And you know what's the worst? I miss her. And I'm confused as fuck. She lied to me but … I still miss her like crazy."

As Chloe spoke, Max's eyebrows formed into a confused look. Everything that Chloe was saying confirmed her feelings. She doubted herself. And she was definitely jealous of Rachel. So, no doubt, she liked Chloe. In a fragile way that was more than friends. But where did they stand?

Before she could properly process her racing thoughts, Max quietly blurted, "So were you two dating then? You and Rachel, I mean … Is _this_ cheating?"

Max nervously nibbled on her bottom lip as she painfully awaited for Chloe's response.

"Hell no! Rachel and I were never a thing. I mean, sure, we _experimented_ a bit. But she mostly strayed towards guys. Exhibit A: Frank."

 _Man, Max is acting so awks!_

Chloe moved her fingers away from Max's hair towards her chin. "Hey," Chloe softly said, lifting Max's chin so that their gaze met. Chloe's intense blue eyes were locked onto Max's.

Chloe continued, "Sure, I miss her. That isn't even the point. We are going to find her. But you and I have something different."

"'Different' how?" Max quickly asked, still not completely reassured. If they found Rachel, Max did not want to third-wheel. Nor did she want to be replaced by Rachel – especially considering that Rachel _did_ pretty much replace her when she left. "I'm not, like, your rebound girl?"

Chloe threw her head back as she burst into a laughing fit. "What? No! Max! Shut up, you giantass nerd!"

"Chloe Price, you are so high," Max stated back, chuckling herself.

 _But still! Rebound girl? I can't believe those words just came out of her pouty little mouth!_

Stiffling her laughter to face a somewhat serious Max, Chloe finally said, "Ok ok ok ok. Short answer? No. Long answer? Hell no you are not my rebound girl! Max! I swear, you are so damn confusing! I keep trying to figure you out. At first, I thought you were into dudes. But now, I just don't know. I just don't know what you want, Caulfield …" Chloe strayed off.

"So I'm not your girlfriend, I'm not your rebound … am I just a question you need to answer?"

 _Whaaaat? This girl! She is so insecure with me._

Chloe sigh finally started, "The truth is, it started as a question I need to answer. I dared you to kiss me that first time kinda like a test. I mean, you kissed me back. I don't even know what to fucking make of that, dude. I don't know if you passed or failed, or what. All I know is it felt fucking sweet. And now, the more time I spend with you, the more I get that you aren't a damn question for me to answer. You changed, Max. You're so complex. Unsolvable, pretty much."

 _Oh god, Chloe. When did you get so mushy? Barffff. But come on. It's Max. You_ so _want this._

Now it was Max's turn to let out a light laugh. Inbetween chuckles, Max met Chloe's intense stare and said, "You're insane, Price."

In response, Chloe took another drag of her cigarette and gave Max her famous smirk.

Though Max finally convinced herself to move past the Rachel and Chloe thing, Max was still loaded with tons of questions. Max thought about their night together and how amazing it was, which led her to question where they stood.

"So wait," Max started.

"OH MAN! DUDE! You have so many questions. What is this?" Chloe joked.

"Well, it's just that – that … what _are_ we?" Max asked.

Chloe let out another stifled laughter that started with a 'pfffff' and ended in a melody of chuckles.

"Well, you are a FREAK is what you are!" Chloe joked. Chloe took her last drag of her joint and flicked the remaining stub on the table.

"Seriously Chloe! Was this just another one of your one-time hook ups? Do I just forget it? Like it was just another sleepover? Except I can't forget it! Because it _wasn't_ just another sleepover to me. I lost my virginity to you, Chlo."

"Oh man, you dork. Is my pot getting to your head? It was _definitely_ not a hook up. Don't you worry your cute little ass."

"Fine. So then, are we together?" Max asked.

Chloe turned her intense gaze towards Max again and replied, "We were always together."

The smoke-filled air wrapped around the two girls and although both of them had questions, that moment was crystal clear. All else blurred away. The world went quiet. And they both knew what they wanted.

 _Oh man, Max is just inches away from me! I really want to … But probs shouldn't …_

Max slightly lifted herself off from her kneeling position and drew her head closer to Chloe's.

 _And then something amazing happened. She kissed me._

Chloe's thoughts were racing and before she knew it, Max's lips crashed onto hers. Unlike the first time Max kissed Chloe on a dare, this one was long and drawn out. Max's lips moved on Chloe's like unhurried honey – sweet and velvety.

 _Yesss!_ Chloe thought to herself.

Max pulled away softly, Chloe's lips not ready for the parting.

Chloe, who was sitting cross-legged, uncrossed her legs, layed them out in front of her and slightly bent them at the knees so they were pointing up. While sinfully looking into Max's soft eyes, Chloe patted her thighs with a sly smirk.

Max took the hint and climbed on top of Chloe, straddling her slightly-raised lap and leaning her back against Chloe's thighs. Although Max was nervous, she never broke Chloe's intense eye contact.

Both girls felt their hearts skip a beat when they positioned themselves to be that close to each other.

Sitting up on top of Chloe, Max was a bit raised above the blue-haired girl – no longer was she the short, petite girl compared to Chloe. As she was straddling Chloe's thighs, Chloe could feel the warmth penetrating from Max, sending heated bolts through Chloe's lower stomach.

The blue-haired girl's mouth was parted a little, patiently waiting for her brunette to get closer.

Taking full advantage of her raised dominant position, Max bent her head down towards Chloe and gently kissed her plump, moistened lips.

Max's fingers hungrily found their way to Chloe's shoulders and hurriedly moved up her neck. Her fingers tangled into the back of Chloe's blue hair, sliding the tips of her wanting fingers underneath Chloe's dark blue beanie.

As Max kissed her, Chloe immediately responded by grabbing Max's small frame with both hands and roughly pulling her up closer against her chest. Her chest pushed up against Chloe's and Chloe became sinfully aware of the thin layer of fabric separating the two girls.

 _Oh man oh man oh man._ Dirty thoughts flooded into Chloe's mind as she flashbacked to Max's naked body from last night, wishing she could peel off Max's green checkered flannel and kiss her bare chest, slip her hands underneath the wire of her bra, suck and nibble the curve of Max's petite breasts. Because Max was raised on top of Chloe, her chest was perfectly positioned in front of Chloe's wanting mouth.

Max's light, butterfly kisses slowly began to get deeper and heavier as Chloe made her way past the flannel and moved her hands up Max's sides underneath her loose blue punk-rock tee. Max's skin was hot as Chloe ran her fingertips up Max's sides. Provoking a soft "Mmm" from Max, Max's full lips gently opened against Chloe's.

Chloe took the opportunity to lightly suck the brunette's tongue into her mouth and massage it with her own. Chloe left one hand exploring underneath her shirt and trailed the other hand over her clothes, up Max's side, all the way to her head and aggressively wound her fingers into Max's short hair, tugging her closer to her. Max's breathing grew heavier with every intense touch.

 _Mm, this girl moves fast_ , Chloe thought to herself. She inched her head back, breaking the deep kiss and found Max's eyes.

"Can't get enough of me, huh Caulfield?" Chloe asked, smirking.

"Shut up, you know you want me too, Price," Max quietly shot back with confidence she didn't know she had.

 _She's got you there, Chloe. I'm fucking into this. I'm … into her._

Inbetween short kisses, Chloe replied, "Mmm … I kinda do …"

Chloe slowly took hold of Max's wrists which were still entangled in her short, blue hair. She guided Max's hands – hands she previously thought so innocent – from her hair down to her chest. She aggressively laid them on top of her breasts. Her hands on top of Max's, Max's hands cupping her perky mounds. Chloe pressed Max's hands hard up against her boobs, allowing Max to take over for her as Chloe moved her hands around Max's hips and onto her straddled ass. Chloe's name spilled from Max's plump lips as Chloe grazed the bare side of Max's lower back with her nails. Chloe continued her deep kisses, nibbling on the brunette's bottom lip.

The blue-haired girl was loving the sweetness of this moment with her girl. She felt her nipples harden with every squeeze of Max's nimble hands, encouraging her to further explore Max's body. With one hand up her bare back, Chloe trailed her other hand down the bend of her thigh, where Max's hip and thigh met. She teased her hand painfully slow and sinfully close to Max's straddled centre, loving her little moans and whimpers.

Max then needily pressed herself up against Chloe, chest to chest, while she returned the favour and thrust her tongue in Chloe's mouth. Not expecting Max's deep kiss, Chloe rewarded Max with a quick moan of approval.

 _Holyyyy crapppp. Nice move, Caulfield. Always surprising me. Hella hardcore._

Max dragged on her sultry kiss until she finally gently pulled away. She had forgotten to breathe, so she remained breathless, exhaling her warm breath on Chloe's swollen lips.

"Chlo?" Max asked.

"Hmm? Mad Max, tease extraordinaire … where'd you learn to swap spit like that?" Chloe smirked.

"Haha, funny," Max replied, shying away.

"Dude! Common, I mean, I know you were a virgin, but your smooching is … well. So wheredja learn? And whose knees do I have to break for necking my girl?" Chloe joked.

"Pfft," Max started, looking down to the side, shrugging.

"Don't tell me last night was beginner's luck, Max!" Chloe called her out.

"Uhh, fine – then I won't tell you …" Max said.

"Common, I was _so_ not your first kiss." Chloe was genuinely shocked. Pleased, but nonetheless shocked. She liked how Max was innocent, but she didn't realize to what extent she really was innocent. When originally Max left Arcadia Bay, Chloe always imagined what Max was doing and how she was living her life. She thought Max would have definitely gotten in with the art freaks, and probably met a cute guy or two.

Max blushed as she played with one of Chloe's blue strands. "Well, I dunno, I guess I was just picky with whom I engaged in sexual encounters." Max was now embarrassed. During her time away, she liked a few boys here and there – mostly skaters – but they never really saw her as more than a friend. There was also a few other doucebags that tried to make the move on her, but Max never gave in.

"You're such a dork," Chloe laughed, "But you're cute." She placed her hand on Max's face and turned her head towards her own, forcing their eyes to connect. "I mean, you probably used your rewind power to kiss me _over and over and over_ to practice, huh? Huh? Amirite?" Chloe turned her head sideways, puckered her lips in a cute kissy face and made smooching noises inbetween laughs.

"Okay there, smartass. You know me. I often enjoy being a creeper by using my time rewind to kiss you," Max sarcastically said, giggling.

"Well, I'm flattered that you chose me to swap spit with," Chloe remarked.

"Eww, Chloe," Max said, scrunching up her face.

Chloe tilted her head backwards and began a giggling fit, her bright eyes squinting.

"But hey. What about you?" Max curiously asked. Chloe's giggles came to a slow stop.

"What about me? I'm an open book." Chloe smiled.

"I – I mean …" Max stuttered, her large eyes curiously searching Chloe's face.

" _Oh_. _That._ I … kind of …"

Max wasn't used to seeing Chloe in such a vulnerable place. It seemed as if a ton of heavy memories came crashing back at her, since her face quickly fell. Max let Chloe compose her thoughts for a few seconds, and then Chloe began.

"After you and my dad left me, I fell in a weird, dark place. It was bad, Max. I'm still kind of in there, especially with Rachel missing. But I'm slowly climbing out because … well, because this freakin' awesome girl came back into my life," Chloe smirked, "Oh yeah, and she also saved me from dying a couple of times. So you know, she's pretty rockin'."

Max carefully eyed Chloe as she took all of her words in.

After a quick sigh, Chloe continued, "Anyways, I messed around with a hella lot of random people. Mostly willingly, but sometimes not … The drugs, the sex, the tats – they all helped me _feel_ something OTHER than the fucking shitstorm in my life. To be honest, most of them meant next to nothing. So yeah. It doesn't matter … what matters is your noob kissing skills!"

"Whaaat! You love it, Price," Max shot back as she smiled.

"Yeah, jokes. Your skillage is actually effin hot," Chloe said as she smirked.

"But seriously though, Chloe, that sucks mad balls. It's just so messy. If we survive this whole end of the world thing tomorrow, we should do something fun," Max joked.

"Ouch, Caulfield. Are you saying you aren't having fun? MY HEART. I CAN FEEL IT BREAKING. SHATTERING."

"You're so dramatic, Chlo," Max laughed, "You know what I mean."

"But you _are_ having fun?"

"I am having fun," Max gave Chloe a slightly puckered smile.

"Soo, what now?" Chloe asked.

"Mmm, what do you want to do?" Max replied to Chloe's question with another question.

Chloe raised her head and gently kissed Max's nose. Chloe pulled away and stared at Max. Then she went in again and offered a sweet peck on Max's lips. "Your move, Caulfield," giving her a quick head nod.

Max was excited that Chloe thought her kissing skills were 'effin hot'. Plus, sitting up there on top of Chloe's lap made her slightly taller, giving her the advantage of control. That gave her enough confidence to raise herself a little off of Chloe, grab her head in both of her hands, tilt her head back slightly and kiss her. Being pressed up against Chloe like that made Max's feelings for Chloe reincarnate with every deep kiss.

Although Chloe was usually the one in control, she let Max pry her lips open and massage her tongue. Chloe's hands automatically ran up Max's jeans to grab her ass down to her lap again. Max's heart skipped a beat as she hungrily kissed Chloe's plump lips. With every hot touch from Chloe's exploring hands, she felt jolts of electricity down her spine.

Max moved her kisses from Chloe's lips onto her jaw and then down to her neck, gently nibbling and biting along the way. Last night, Chloe had given her a bunch of hickies. Max thought she should return the favour. It was only fair. With every kiss and every suck, Max left a wet trail on Chloe's neck so that whenever Max exhaled heavily, Chloe could feel the moistness on her neck.

Chloe felt herself getting turned on as Max traced the string of her bullet necklace with her wet lips. From her neck, to the exposed skin above the edges of her black tank top, curving around the fleshy skin of her protruding breasts, and down the centre of her cleavage.

 _Woah_ , Chloe thought to herself as she felt herself wanting more and more.

Chloe brought her hands to Max's front, rubbing the creases of her thighs right above the V of her jeans. What Chloe liked best was that Max's straddled legs opened her up right in front of Chloe – giving her the easiest access to the most sensitive place on her girl.

Lust ran through Chloe's veins as the felt every inch of Max's body.

Max's fingers trailed hot touches against Chloe's exposed collarbone. Her fingers pushed up against Chloe's mounds with only a thin piece of fabric separating her curious hands from her perky breasts.

Chloe moved her hands to Max's ass and sunk them deep past the waistband of her jeans, reaching her bare skin. Since Max was straddled, it gave Chloe the perfect position to grab a handful of her firm ass. Max arched her back, her chest curving towards Chloe's face. With Max's dark blue punk-rock tee still on, Chloe couldn't resist but to bury her face in Max's chest, inhaling her scent as she planted warm kisses in her cleavage.

 _Oh my god, watching her as she gets turned on … so fucking hot._

Out of instinct, Max roughly pushed her chest up against Chloe's face as she took hold of her green flannel top and dragged it off her arms. Chloe watched as Max uncovered herself and threw the flannel on the floor beside the two.

 _I could watch this girl for hours. Her body … holy fuck … it's that same body I saw her grow up into. But this time, it's from a different perspective. A freakin' awesome one_ , Chloe thought as she checked out the girl with the short, brown hair.

Chloe kissed her shoulder, which caused Max's loose tee sleeve to slightly slide down her shoulder. Chloe acted on this as she tugged the sleeve lower to reveal her pale, bare collarbone. Chloe slowly traced her lips along Max's collarbone, placing butterfly kisses along the way. Chloe looked up at Max right as she tilted her head back gently and moaned. Max tightened her straddled legs on Chloe's lap and Chloe slyly smirked as she savoured the view of Max's moaning lips. She knew it was all for her.

Max started to gently grind her hips against Chloe's lap, rocking her centre back and forth, moaning against Chloe's mouth with every pass. Chloe could feel herself getting wet.

 _Fuck yesssss_ , Chloe thought to herself while grabbing Max's hips. Her hands made their way to the front of Max's black jeans and with the flick of her thumbs, the button popped open to reveal the edge of Max's underwear.

Max pulled away from Chloe's embrace and brushed off Chloe's curious hands, hands that would have dug deeper into her jeans.

"Wait," Max whispered.

Confused and in a daze, Chloe started to respond, "Whaa?"

But before Max could give Chloe an answer, Max raised her right hand, preparing to rewind back the time.

It was an answer enough.

 _OH MAN SHE'S GONNA REWIND ON ME?! WHAT THE FUCK? I_ want _to remember this!_

"Max! Stop! What gives?!" Chloe exclaimed as she quickly brought her hand to Max's. Chloe quickly intertwined Max's fingers in hers so they were holding hands. With Max's hand clasped in hers, Chloe brought Max's hand down into her lap.

"DUDE! Why the fuck would you wanna rewind?"

"BECAUSE!" Max sighed for a few moments until she continued, "I can't even think straight. Arcadia will be destroyed, Kate is in the hospital, Frank is _probably_ hunting us down … It's just been a helluva crazy week. On Monday, I saw my first vision of the tornado and I saw you almost _die_. Then on Tuesday, I saw Kate almost die! Death, death, death! Then yesterday, we found out all of this shit about Rachel and Frank – and I feel like time is moving by too fast. The Vortex party is tomorrow and so is the tornado. Oh, and not to mention that Rachel may or may not be dead – and if she isn't dead, she'll probably come back and take you away from me. There's so much shit, Chlo. Just … don't you think this is fucking weird? Us?"

" _Weird?_ Uh, definitely not. Nope," Chloe said, popping the P.

Chloe couldn't deny what Max was frantically saying. However, she _did_ know that Max was her escape. Although their worlds were slowly burning to the ground, they had each other. And that made things less shitty.

Max's mind was racing – full of confusion and anxiety of the things to come that were out of her control. Still, the main thing that Max felt was _self-doubt_. Despite everything happening, she genuinely liked Chloe. But she seriously doubted Chloe was into her as well, which made hesitation and uncertainty undertone everything else.

"It's just that … I want you to _want_ this. Not because you're high, not because you're lonely, not because you're bored!" Max finally said.

Chloe intense, blue gaze searched Max's eyes, looking for a clue as to why Max was so doubtful.

Chloe let out a sigh. "Dude, how can a cute girl as rad as you be so freakin' self-conscious, Max?"

Avoiding Chloe's eyes, Max repeated, "I want you to want this." It came out more like a whisper this time.

Chloe offered Max a gentle smile and said, "I want this."

Max finally lifted her head up to face Chloe. Their eyes connected and in that moment, they felt infinite – so the story goes.

"Max," Chloe said softly, "I _like_ like you."

Max broke into a fit of giggles. Max knew that she does not get mushy very often, so Chloe's goofiness was very sweet.

Chloe smiled and brushed Max's bangs to the side. She brought her lips to Max's. This time, though, it wasn't heated. Instead, their sugary kisses simmered to sweetness.

"Good," Max smiled and finally replied, "Because I am so into you, Price." Max traced her hands to the back of Chloe's head. She grabbed onto Chloe's dark blue beanie and dragged it off, bringing it in front of her.

"Hey, you thief," Chloe chuckled as Max slid the beanie on her own head.

"Common, Price, I just wanted to try this on," Max slyly responded. Her short wispy hair stuck out from underneath the beanie.

"You're the biggest dork. But the cutest," Chloe smiled. "Also, you have _no_ idea what you wearing my clothes does to me. No idea."

Max puckered her lips and Chloe leaned in, giving her a series of soft, light kisses, their tongues barely touching.

Chloe pulled away and rested her forehead against Max's. The two girls spent what seemed like quite a while like that, savouring the sweetness in this moment.

 **Bzzzz bzzz.**

The two girls broke their gaze and turned their heads towards Max's book bag which was laying on the floor.

 _Noooo,_ Chloe thought to herself, silently cursing Max's cellphone.

Max got up from Chloe's lap and searched through her bag. Once she grasped her cellphone, Max read the text out loud.

 **Warren: Max! WHERE R U TODAY? You missed English! Don't worry tho, I took notes for ya. Got ya covered :)**

 **Max: oh hey, i had to drop AP English remember? :( thanks thooo, super awesome of you**

Warren immediately responded.

 **Warren: oh man, will you be here for science though? I keep hearing rumours that Ms. Grant is going to drop a pop quiz on us …**

Upon reading Warren's last text, Max glanced at the clock on her cellphone. "Oh shit! I completely lost track of time! It's almost 11am!" Max grabbed her green flannel off the floor and started gathering her things in a rush.

"So?" Chloe asked, lazily getting up.

"I have science in 15 minutes and I definitely can't blow it off. Warren just told me there might be a pop quiz today – can you please please please drive me to Blackwell? Pretty please?" Max asked.

 _Sigh._

"Fineuhhhhhh," Chloe responded hesitantly, "You just know how much I _love_ to show my face around Black _hell_."

"Great! You're the best! I can even study in the truck while you drive. Man, I haven't even reviewed the notes for energy changes and rates of reaction," Max said as she let out a stressed sigh.

"Oh yeah? No time for homework lately these days? As interesting as chemistry sounds, I guess something has been keeping you up at night eh Caulfield?" Chloe teased as she smirked.

"Yeaaah. Sleepovers for the win, though," Max replied, smiling.

"And by sleepovers, do you mean _hot, sultry looooove making_?" Chloe laughed as Max joined in.

"Yeah yeah. Let's go, you smartass," Max hurried as she lifted her book bag over her shoulder.

"Alright! Lead the way!" Chloe said as she grabbed the gun off the small table and shoved it in the inside the back of her pants.

Max was almost out the door when Chloe said, "Oh wait. What's thisssss?" Chloe eyed the small table where the gun was.

Her eyes scanned the various objects on the messy table – photos, cigarette butts, ashtrays, empty bottles – until they finally landed on something.

A tube of blue hair dye.

Max turned her attention to Chloe and followed her intense, blue gaze to the table. "Hmm?"

"My blue hair dye!" Chloe exclaimed, her mind deviously at work.

 _This is perfect! Wouldn't it be hella cool if Max had some blue in her life?_

Chloe flirted with the idea of dying a blue streak in Max's hair. She picked up the blue tube and turned to Max, smirking.

"Chlo, I gotta run. This is no time to fill your roots or re-dye your hair … or whatever it is you do," Max shrugged, tilting her head towards the doorway to indicate her desire to get her butt to school.

Chloe widened her bright eyes and replied, "Oh no, not for me …"

"Huh? Me? Yeah right. I am _so_ not dying my hair, you freak. Let's get outta here," Max said.

"Why notttt?!" Chloe began, "You're, like, my girl now. What other way to tell everyone else that you're mine so they should keep their hands off? This is perfect!" Chloe was practically jumping up and down. She was ecstatic.

"Ha ha," Max sarcastically began, "No way, my rebellious, impulsive blue-haired badass."

Without another word, Max walked through the doorway and towards the truck, leaving Chloe trailing behind.

 _I shouldn't … but …._

Before walking out to follow the brunette, Chloe gave herself a smile. She quickly jogged back to the table, and pocketed the hair dye.

With a devious smirk, one simple thought caressed Chloe's mind.

 _For later._

* * *

 **A/N: Goodness, waiting for Episode 4 is brutal, but Pricefield fanfics get me through the GLOOMY wait.**

 **So I didn't want this chapter to be too smutty. I also don't want this to be too heavily focused on plot in general. I wanted this chapter to be kind of a tease – complimented by lots of questions. Their questions, their angst, their explorations, their luvvvv.**

 **Again, this is my first fanfic and I'm not sure where it's going. Where would you like to see Pricefield go? I savour each comment and take the feedback to heart. Please** ** _please_** **review.**

 **Have a wonderful day my loveys.**


	3. Tranquility

_Mm hm hm … I believe it's time for me … to be famousssssss … and outa place ... Na na naa … Mm mm …_

Chloe bobbed her head and hummed to herself as the guitar blasted from her laptop speakers. With a lit joint resting on an ashtray beside her, Chloe was on her bed laying on her back, her laptop sitting up on her stomach.

She glanced at her laptop's clock in the bottom right corner.

3:32pm.

After dropping Max off at Blackwell for her science quiz earlier that morning, Chloe had a bunch of time to kill. As much as she hated showing up at Black _hell_ , Chloe sucked it up and drove the studious girl.

 _Guess you can't hog Max_ all _the time, Chloe._

At least she had Max to look forward to. Despite Max's day at school, Max had promised to hang out with Chloe after class. The only problem was that Max's classes were from 11:00am to 4:00pm, which meant that Chloe had quite a bit of time to herself. Although, it worked out in the end since Joyce had called Chloe asking her to come home.

Even though Joyce had worked a night shift at the Diner the prior evening, she had another full-day shift today. And because David had left the Price household (or, was kicked out), David quit financially contributing to the family. Essentially, Joyce found herself struggling without the joint income, which pushed her to pick up extra shifts at the Diner – hence the 12 hour shift from 1:00pm to 1:00am that Thursday.

Of course, David also took his car, leaving Chloe as Joyce's ride to work most of the time. Despite the busses being available, they were definitely _not_ reliable. Chloe didn't really mind though. Driving her mom to work was no biggie, especially today since she didn't have to bother picking Joyce up when her shift was over after midnight. Fortunately, Joyce planned on snagging a ride home with a coworker at the Diner after their shift ended. Lucky for Chloe, she could drive over to see Max that evening and not have to worry about responsibilities and such. Chloe wasn't good with that stuff anyways. Responsibilities were not her strong suit.

Once Chloe dropped Joyce off, she still had some time to waste until Max's last class finished at 4:00pm. So what did she do? Well, what any other Disobedient Girl Programme called for of course: smoke and veg out. She complimented the soothing smoke of her joint with some reading. When she had gone to hide her gun under her bed, she had stumbled onto her old comic book collection. Excitedly, she had sorted through them as if she were twelve again. Hidden at the very bottom of the pile was a crumpled copy of her favourite manga. After shrieking in excitement and nostalgia for a few seconds, Chloe figured that the only rational thing to do was re-read it from front to back. She _did_ have time to waste, anyways.

As if she was a child again, Chloe submerged herself into her manga. Her favourite character was badass – much like herself – fighting all things that came in her way. That character _did_ inspire her blue hair, after all … which reminded her that she had to re-dye her hair. The pink at the top half of her hair was starting to fade and her roots were starting to show.

After reading her manga, Chloe broke out her hair dye. After letting the dye sit in, Chloe ended up taking a long, drawn-out shower. Since she had been home alone, she brought in her stereo and blasted her favourite punk rock playlist. As she was rocking out and singing along in the shower, she was hit by an idea.

To make a mix CD for Max.

Which is how she ended up here – on her bed, joint in hand, laptop about to burn music onto a CD.

 _Can't believe this piece of shit laptop actually had it in it to make a CD. It's such a crap laptop, but it gets the job done! Mad Max is gonna love this. We always used to make mix CDs. Plus, no one actually uses CDs anymore. Max will love the idea! Props to youuuuu, Chloe._

She added the finishing touches to the playlist and clicked the 'Burn' button. As she waited for the ancient laptop to do its thing, she got up in search for a sharpie marker. She planned to draw on the CD once it was done and title it. After fumbling through her desk drawers, she pulled out a black and blue marker – which was perfect timing since the CD had just ejected in completion.

Chloe got to work, drawing checkered black and blue patterns all over the CD's surface as she stuck her tongue out in concentration. Once she was finished, she titled it:

Max and Chloe's Soundtrack to the End of the World: Acoustic Hipstershit Vs. Badass Metalwhore

Chloe gave herself a smirk of approval as she shoved the CD in a case and placed it on the edge of her bed so she would remember to grab it when she left to pick up Max.

 _Speaking of Max, what time is it now? Hella sweet, 3:52pm. Max should be finishing class now._

Chloe pulled out her cellphone and sent Max a quick text.

 **Chloe:** **K are u done yet? I can be there for like 4ish to come get u**

One minute, two minutes.

Chloe impatiently looked at her cellphone's screen while waiting for Max's response. She was bored out of her mind and wanted to see Max again.

Chloe decided to get off her bed and start getting dressed so that when Max responds, she can quickly head out to her truck without wasting any more time.

She walked over to her closet and rummaged through the bottom, pulling one Chuck Taylor Converse shoe for her left foot. After a bit more digging, she found the right shoe and started lacing them both up. As she was tying her right shoe, her phone beeped. Chloe grabbed her phone off the edge of the bed and opened her new message.

 **Max: Oh I'm sorry Chlo! Warren grabbed me during lunch break and insisted him and I go to tonight's screening of planet of da apes. I promised, im sorry ahhhhhh D:**

In annoyance, Chloe let herself flop on her bed face down, hands and legs spread out like a starfish.

"Arghhhhhh," Chloe muttered with her face in the blankets.

After a few moments of frustrated grumbles, she turned over to reply to Max.

 **Chloe: fucking lame. tell him u have to go … wash ur hair or something iunno**

 **Max: I promised :( sowwy!**

"Such bullshit," Chloe whispered under her breath.

 **Chloe: when does it end? come see me after**

 _Sure Chloe, sound desperate. Good going asswipe. But it's Max, so it's whatevs. I just want to see her. Balls._

 **Max: Movie ends at like 7:30 and then ill come see ya. Don't wrry, theres enough of max to go around ;)**

 **Chloe: this is unacceptable & I hate u btw. make sure u show warren my art work aka ur love marks aka ur hickies**

"Warryynnnnn," Chloe mocked Warren's name in a whiney tone as she scrunched up her face.

 _I hella hate goody two-shoe boys like him. SO WHOLESOME AND PUKEWORTHY. With his skater hair and smartness and nice guy crap._

 **Max: xDD**

Chloe let out a heavy sigh as she kicked off her Chuck Taylors. She had managed to kill time until 4:00pm and she had to kill time yet _again_ – this time, until 7:30pm.

Despite being distracted and somewhat worried about Max and Warren's movie 'date', Chloe decided to fill her time with a bunch of time-consuming things: rolling another joint, painting on another coat of dark blue nail polish, eating some munchies, reading some more of her manga.

However, as the time passed, she still couldn't stop freaking out about Warren.

With Max.

Right now.

The anxious thoughts raced through her head.

 _What if he tries to kiss her? Oh man oh man oh man. I mean, Max would say something right? But what would she even say?_

 _"Uhh, sorry Warren but I have this sort of *thing* with Chloe …"_

 _Like hella fucking no! She won't say that! She doesn't even consider us as dating or girlfriends. She's still fucking freaked out about it all so of course she won't just come out and say that._

 _"Oh by the way, Warren, I am also gay."_

 _That is not happening AT ALL, Chloe, and you know it._

 _I swear, if he even tries anything … I will hunt that boy down. Gah, such bullshit._

After some time passed, 7:30pm finally rolled around. As soon as the clock on her cellphone screen flipped from 7:29pm to 7:30pm, Chloe unleashed a wave of mass texts.

 **Chloe: R u done yet?**

 **Chloe: it's 730 now**

 **Chloe: IT'S TIME**

 **Chloe: Max**

 **Chloe: max**

 **Chloe: maxcxxxxx**

 **Chloe: HEY WARRN IF U SEE THIS**

 **Chloe: FIGHT ME COMMON I CAN TAKE U**

 **Chloe: SOMEONE HOLD ME BACK**

Chloe smirked to herself.

 _I mean, it IS time for our hangout now. I don't see anything wrong with not shutting the fuck up._

However, despite knowing that Max will chuckle a bit, Chloe knew that she was still anxious about what happened.

She waited for Max's response.

7:45pm rolled around.

8:03pm …

Finally, at 8:12pm, Max texted back.

 **Max: Way to bomb my phone you smartass pirate 3**

 **Max: Sorryy though, phone was on silent from the movie which was so damn awesome! Warren dropped me off at BW. Come get me pleaseee?**

 _Well, looks like it's back to Blackhell for you, Chloe. Whatever. At least she's finally free, godamn._

 **Chloe: omw nerd**

Chloe made her way downstairs to her truck, making sure to grab the gun and mixed CD. Despite being slightly annoyed about having to wait for Max while she was out with Warren, she was still excitedly anxious to spend time with Max again. She didn't let Warren get to her. Not yet.

Chloe hurried out the door and made her way to her truck. The air was warm on her face and neighbourhood was quiet.

 _Perfect_ , Chloe thought as she shoved the keys in the ignition and started driving. _The sunset should be in about half an hour, too. Wouldn't it be awesome if we could see the sunset and just chill? Genius, Chloe, genius! I know the best spot. Aw yeaa._

With Chloe's wild driving skills, she was able to make it to Blackwell in no time, only to find Max waiting for her at the steps all ready to go. Max hurried down the stairs and hopped in the truck.

As soon as she saw Max, she was reminded of Warren. All the feelings of worry and anger smashed right back into her. Some anger, but mostly worry.

Before even saying hey, Max noticed the way Chloe was grilling her – laser beam eye contact on.

"Nothing happened, Chlo," Max smiled as she reassured her friend while buckling her seatbelt.

"Damn, Max, I was thisss close to driving over there and and –"

"Nothing happened," Max repeated, "I'm super sorry for not seeing your texts though!"

"Oh man, I was kind of flipping my shit for you, Max," Chloe vulnerably said.

Max smiled, enjoying the needy attention. Though, she did feel somewhat bad for putting Chloe through this. She could have at least checked her phone once or twice.

"Wherefore, how shall I ev'r maketh it up to you?" Max giggled as she put the back of her hand on her forehead, impersonating a fair maiden.

"Umm, thou hella sucketh, Caulfield!" Chloe couldn't help but laugh along as she left Blackwell and merged into traffic.

Once the giggling simmered and the girls drove on, Max looked out of her window curiously, unable to predict where Chloe was taking them.

"So where are we going anyways?" Max asked.

"You'll see. I'm just kidnapping you," Chloe replied.

"Uh, as long as I'm home before dorm curfew, I guess," Max chuckled.

"Well," Chloe started as she drove like a madwoman, "I kinda wanna see the stars tonight. Cool?"

"Ohhh, how romantic, Price," Max joked.

"Shut up, Caulfield. You know I always used to stay up to look at the stars! Anyways, if the tornado hits Arcadia Bay tomorrow, it'll be our last chance to see the stars, right?"

"Oh my dog," Max frowned, "It hasn't really even hit me yet that it is all happening _tomorrow_."

"Exactly! I dunno. The stars always help me think. Maybe it'll clear your mind and shit. Plus, we're almost here, just in time for the sunset."

"Cool beans," Max said, "So where is _here_ exactly? The docks?"

"Hell yes, the docks! The docks are always empty at this time of the day. Trust me! Plus, I know this sweet place that's away from everything. Let's just say I had a lot of exploring time when I was a loner in Arcadia Bay."

Chloe weaved through the harbour, docks and loading stations until she finally turned onto a small dirt rode hidden between the trees. Eventually, the truck made it onto a sort of elevated clearing with a perfect view of the waterfront.

Chloe drove the truck close to the edge of the cliff, set the truck in Park and turned off the ignition.

As Max looked around in awe, she said, "Dang, queen of finding beautiful, secluded spots, huh Price?"

Chloe turned around in her seat, reached back and pulled out a crumpled blanket from the back.

"Guess so!" Chloe quickly remarked as she jumped out of the truck.

As Max slowly got out of the truck, she took in her surroundings. The small cliff was surrounded by the forest and was overlooking the water. The water was clear and lacking boats or ships – probably because the fishing industry was heading downhill these days.

Chloe began, "I dunno, I guess I always came here to see the stars and watch the waves. I mean, the junkyard _is_ my home away from hell, but the cliff is kinda like my _vacation_ from my home away from hell. Especially since Frank sometimes hung around the junk yard. I had to find a new place. Pretty awesome, huh?"

"Mhm. Definitely. It's beautiful here, Chlo," Max responded. She looked out ahead. The sun was nearly gone and the sky looked as if someone had splashed soft blues and dark orange hues across a wide canvas.

Chloe walked to the back of the truck with the blanket in hand.

"What's up with the blanket?" Max asked.

"How else do you think we're going to lie down and see the stars? I always lie down in the truck's tailgate when I come here. It's like a bed. So it's perfect. Good ol' trusty piece of shit truck," Chloe smiled to herself as she climbed onto the truck's bed and started spreading out the blanket.

Max walked over to the back and rested her arms on the truck's sides as she watched Chloe.

"Hey Mad Max – do me a favour and turn on the radio in my truck. Feel free to blast that shit. There's like no one around. The forest blocks out the sound anyways."

"Okay," Max offered as she made her way to the driver's seat, opened the truck door and flicked on the radio, turning the volume up.

The sweet sound of mellow soft rock spilled around the two girls, guitar strums echoing around them.

 _… come back to me again … and play your sad guitarrr ..._ The male singer's hazy voice sounded surreal as his verses surrounded the two girls.

Max made her way to the back of the truck and raised herself up onto the truck's bed, scooting her butt over beside Chloe, who was now sitting up.

"Mm, I love this song," Chloe remarked.

"Whaat? I thought you were into hardcore metal! I'm pretty sure this is, like, oldies," Max said.

"Yeah. My dad always used to listen to this band, though. They're pretty hella chill," Chloe said as she looked out to the sky. Max gazed out in front of her to see the setting sun. Colours of red and orange painted the scene, casting a warm light on the two girls' faces. There was a slight breeze grazing their hair, brushing up against their faces.

A few moments passed until Chloe broke the peaceful silence. "Dude … if another smoking session is to be avoided, you need to tell me everything that happened with what's-his-face. It was literally eating me alive thinking about you today. Fuck. Did he try anything?"

Max immediately noticed Chloe's intent curiosity … or maybe, jealousy? She questioned the possibility of Chloe being jealous, and it made her feel kind of nice. She liked that Chloe was so straightforward and direct. And Chloe's jealousy made her feel cared for.

"Don't freak out, okay?" Max looked at Chloe with her large eyes.

Chloe kept looking forward uncomfortably. "Uh, pretty sure I'll freak out if you say that …"

"Well, nothing _actually_ happened. But I think he likes me. I think he tried to kiss me at one point … or he wanted to. Not sure. I couldn't really tell but it was weird. Like he was staring at me and –"

"Dude, are you serious?" Chloe's hands fisted tightly as her shoulders tensed up.

 _I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He's dead to me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Chloe repeated her pissed off mantra in her mind as she tried to not freak out.

"Chloe, wait. No," Max began to reassure her. "He didn't actually kiss me. Oh man. I – I … I gave him props. He was leaning in and I didn't know what to do."

Chloe angled her eyebrows and slightly turned her face towards Max with a scoff.

"You what? Did you just say … you gave a boy props when he tried to kiss you, Maxine Caulfield?" Chloe smirked.

"Uhh, I didn't know what was happening! It was getting so awkward and I guess I just shoved my hand inbetween us so that –"

Before Max could continue justifying her actions, Chloe burst into a loud laughter, her hysterical giggles fracturing the tense silence between them.

 _OH MY FUCKING GOD. This is hella GOLD!_

 _YES!_

 _Max the heartbreaker._

 _Fucking good._

"Oh man, Max. I am glad you have no game. Props?" Chloe snickered inbetween words, "Real smooth."

Max couldn't help but join in the laughter. Although Chloe found Max's lack of resilient romantic capabilities with the opposite sex hilarious, she was certainly relieved that Warren hadn't touch her.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up smartass. You'll also be happy to know that I actually kind of told Warren I wasn't interested. Key words: 'kind of'."

Chloe's attention now whipped to Max.

 _Did she tell him she's taken? Is she even *taken* though? By me?_ Chloe's mind raced with curious hypotheticals.

"I kind of switched his attention to this one girl in our classes, Brooke. She's really smart and honestly would be perfect for him. So I kind of told him how she'd probably be really into hanging out with him – you know, outside of school," Max stated.

"Oh yeah? Did you tell him anything about you actually not being interested, though?" Chloe asked, digging to satisfy her main curiosity. "Cause you … aren't interested. Right?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, he wasn't awkward with me or try to hit on me so I kind of dropped it. Hopefully he got the hint," Max said.

"He better have," Chloe commented.

"He was cool with it though. After the movie, we decided to visit Kate in the hospital. That's kind of why I was so late. But Kate was honestly so happy to see us. She was beaming. Her dad had actually come and visited her so she was really happy about that. And then she heard about the whole Nathan being expelled thing and she was really glad, Chloe. Warren and I caught her up about what's happening in class and said we'd send her our notes and –"

"Yeah yeah cool," Chloe impatiently said. She was definitely glad Kate was fine but she was mostly curious about Warren. "So you said no to Warren?"

Max was now sure Chloe was a bit bitter. She let out a quick chuckle. "Pretty much. After he dropped me off at Blackwell, I even told him I'm hanging out with you tonight. He was like 'Your friend the pirate?' And I was like 'I think she's more than that'."

 _Wait. More than what? More than a pirate? Or more than a friend? GAH!_

 _CHLOE! Get a grip!_

"I think he got it though. Either way, Warren's an awesome friend but he won't be anything more than that. So you don't have to worry," Max tried to mimic Chloe's famous smirk, but it ended up being more of a goofy smile.

"Good. I mean, good that he didn't try anything when you're not even into the guy." Chloe asked.

"Mhm, I don't like him like that. He's really cool and all but if I have to question my feelings and come up with excuses – like Brooke is a better fit – well, I don't like him," Max explained.

"But you question _us,_ though," Chloe quietly said.

Max opened her mouth to say something but closed it instead. After a few moments of looking out at the now-set sun, Max said, "No. I question _myself_ , Chloe. Not us. You confused the hell out of me. Rethinking my identity is … uh, kind of fucked up."

At this point, the sky was cloaked by a deep, dark blue layer. The clear night sky had unveiled a blanket of stars. Chloe laid herself down fully on her back, arms bent beneath her, pillowing her head.

"Yup, that part is scary. The whole questioning yourself bullshit. Hey, good thing you have your best friend right by your side to _help_ you through the _tough times_ ," Chloe joked, thinking about how exactly she _helped_ Max screw up her identity. By kissing her. By touching her. And how freakin' amazing it was to do so. And how these times were not really tough at all. They were oh so sweet.

Chloe gazed up at the night sky as she gently bobbed her head to the mellow rock music that was escaping the truck's radio.

As Chloe looked up at the dark, starry sky, Max looked at Chloe unobserved. She always loved how beautiful Chloe looked when she was carefree and relaxed. She considered taking out her polaroid camera and sneaking another photo of Chloe. Chloe had now closed her eyes as she bobbed her head to the music blasting from the truck. Max's eyes framed the shot as she reached into her book bag, pulled out her camera, and snapped a quick snapshot with the flash.

Chloe opened her eyes and tilted her head towards Max, rubbing her eyes.

"You need to give a girl a warning before doing that. So I can fix my makeup and get picture ready," Chloe joked.

"Yeah freakin' right, Price," Max giggled as she fanned the recently-printed photograph in her hands to dry.

"What? You think this whole private model thing comes free, Max? But seriously, all of your photos are going to be of me. Your photo prof will get so bored!" Chloe said.

"I was actually thinking of starting a photo series called 'The Blue Haired Girl: Portraits of the Insane'. Or 'The Price is Right'." Max laughed to herself as she scooted beside Chloe and laid down beside her on the blanket.

"You're such a loser," Chloe smirked. She looked up at the sky. "Do you see that light circling the sky?"

Max followed Chloe's gaze to the right, seeing a faint light beam rotating through the darkened night sky.

"What is that?" Max asked.

"That's the lighthouse light. I swear, no matter where you go in this town, you can't escape the lighthouse," Chloe said.

"But the lighthouse is good, Chloe. It guides sailors back home – to safety. How come you want to escape it so bad?" She paused for a moment. "In my tornado visions, I just know that I have to get to the lighthouse. I don't know why, but it seems safe for some reason," Max said.

"I don't know. It's just that all my life, wherever I went, the lighthouse went. It might be safe, but I have to leave it. How will I ever fend for myself with its _shelter_ fucking suffocating me? I just want to leave Oregon," Chloe calmly responded as she eyed the bright, faded crescent moon. "I can't believe tomorrow night is the Vortex party and the supposed tornado, Max."

"I can't believe it either. It just doesn't … I don't know. Seem real. It's as if tomorrow will be just a regular Friday night where you come get me after class and hangout and make smartass remarks. You know, the regular," Max replied.

"Right? It hasn't really hit me yet either," Chloe shuddered as a cold breeze hit her face, "It's getting cold. Hang on, Max, sit up for a sec."

Max obliged. She was getting a bit cold herself.

Both of the girls sat up. Chloe grabbed the blanket from underneath them and wrapped it around them both, making sure the blanket hugged both of them around the back. Once they settled in and warmed up, the brunette and the bluenette began to lean on each other. The guitar riffs were gently cascading around the girls as they found themselves in the safety of each other's presence.

 _This is just …_

Chloe wrapped her arm around Max's waist and trailed her hand up and down the brunette's side.

 _… the greatest._

To the feel of Chloe's grasp on her side, Max turned her face towards Chloe's. The wind was brushing her bangs to the side while Chloe intensely eyed Max's skin, which seemed paler and brighter in the night.

"Hi," Max gently whispered. Chloe could see Max eyeing her lips.

 _This hi thing is becoming some sort of sexy ritual._

"Hi," Chloe responded. Chloe hesitantly leaned in, her nose brushing up against Max's. Max's eyes fell half-lidded as Chloe grazed her lips along Max's, until she finally pressed her mouth against Max's sweet lips. Chloe planted a gentle, soft kiss on her mouth, her hand lightly rubbing up Max's side.

Chloe drew her lips away from Max, touching her nose against Max's again.

"Can I ask you something?" Chloe said.

Max slightly opened her half-lidded eyes and nodded gently.

"What will happen after tomorrow night?" Chloe asked.

Max bit her bottom lip and pondered the question. After a few moments, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Chloe searched Max's eyes with her own. "After the Vortex party and the whole tornado thing. If we don't die, I mean. That would suck balls."

 _It actually hella would._

"Uh, I haven't really thought about it that far. Sometimes I just think that the whole tornado thing is just a metaphor for something and it won't _actually_ happen. But then I have those visions and … they are just – just so damn clear," Max responded hesitantly.

"We'll figure it out, Max. Well, we better figure it out."

"Oh man Chloe, we have until tomorrow night," Max said as she bit her bottom lip in a worried manner.

Chloe turned her face towards the night sky, looking upwards with wide, blue eyes. The girls sat in each other's silence for several minutes that seemed to drag on; still, the two enjoyed each moment they had in other's company.

 _What if this is our last night here? I am so not ready to let go of this. Not yet. I_ just _got Max back._

Max gaze followed the light beam that was circling the sky ever so serenely from the lighthouse. She found the beam to be quite hypnotic – the way it circled the whole of Arcadia Bay and became whole again. The lighthouse seemed as if it was a silent warning, a faint offer of protection.

Breaking the silence, Max decided to ask Chloe a question in return. "My turn, Price. To ask you something."

"Shoot. I'm a freakin' open book," Chloe responded. This time, though, she did not seem to be her tough self. Her defences were lowered with Max.

Trusting.

Vulnerable.

Gently, Max asked, "What's something you're afraid of?"

 _Hella easy._

Chloe didn't flinch. Instead, she kept looking out into the night. She offered a sincere smile and said, "Afraid? What – you mean like ghosts and demons and crap?"

Max giggled slightly and quickly responded, "Hmm, no. Just in general, I guess."

"Dontcha know, Max? I'm not scared of anyone," Chloe said as the glow from the moon illuminated her face. The soft rock from the radio blasted from the truck, guitar chords slowly echoing in their own little world.

"Oh. Not some _one_. I meant – just – anything," Max clarified.

"Nope. Nada. Zip," Chloe said, tight-lipped.

Max offered a short 'pfft' and responded, "Yeah right, Price! I don't buy it. For one, I know you're scared of the truth about Rachel and Frank."

 _Wrong. Well … kinda right. Damnit, Max._

"Ugh. More like pissed off. Okay, okay FINE. There is something. But I swear, Max, if you spill to anyone, I'll murder you. Maybe. Probably. Ugh! You're lucky I like you, Caulfield!" Chloe exclaimed.

Max giggled as she pulled her hair, which was being blown by the wind, behind her ear.

 _Just say it_ , Chloe told herself.

"Planes."

Max tilted her head towards Chloe with a smirk of her own. "What?"

"Planes, okay? They freak me the fuck out."

Soft laughter spilled from Max's mouth, filling the air as it escalated. Inbetween laughs, Max said, "Can't believe I'd ever say this, but so much for Fearless Chloe, huh?"

"Shut up I swear –"

"I am so judging you, Price," Max said while she wiped a laughing tear from her eye with the edge of the dark green checkered flannel top she was still wearing – the one that belonged to Rachel.

"Whatever," Chloe shrugged as she pouted jokingly. "Your turn. What's your biggest fear right now?"

"Right _now_ now? I am somewhat afraid of you murdering me. Kind of," Max replied, grinning.

"Well that is a pretty fucking plausible fear," Chloe said as she gave Max a death stare, which quickly turned into a genuine chuckle. "But seriously, Max. What gives you the creeps? Spill, before I make you spill."

Max's face grew serious and she frowned.

"Honestly," Max began, "I'm just afraid of losing you. Again. And Again. I mean, I'm definitely freaked about tomorrow night with the Vortex club. But I'm mostly afraid of not being able to save you. My time rewind power thing is seriously struggling, honest to dog. And it scares me."

A few moments passed as Chloe let Max's words sink in. _Aww, crap. She's the sweetest. She doesn't want me to die._

A bright smile spread across Chloe's face. "I'll try not to die again. But just for you, babe," Chloe said as she leaned in, touching her lips onto Max's forehead, leaving a light kiss.

Although the sedative soft rock was loudly echoing from the truck's radio, the two girls could still clearly hear the surrounding trees brushing up against each other due to the calming sea breeze. Chloe pulled at her dark blue beanie and tugged it more on her head, adjusting it with one hand.

Max brought both of her hands towards Chloe's arm, wrapping the fingers that stuck out from the checkered flannel sleeve around Chloe's elbow. Max then rested her head on the side of Chloe's arm as her eyes hazily followed the circling light beam from the lighthouse.

 _God, she is so fucking perfect._

Acting on the contact, Chloe tightened her arm around Max's waist and trailed her free hand onto Max's thigh, squeezing the tips of her fingers inbetween Max's jeans where her legs were pressed up against each other.

 _I need this_ , Chloe realized as she watched Max's hair blow in the wind, _I hella fucking need this._

"Hey Max? Just so you know … I need you," Chloe softly blurted.

Chloe exhaled to herself as she realized she had been holding her breath.

Max's heart fluttered and her mind was racing. Racing about her and Chloe, their relationship, where it was going, the way Chloe could make her feel with just three syllables. Despite it all, all she could say was a soft, "I know."

And she did know. She knew Chloe went through so much shit without her. She knew she is still going through a lot of shit. Most of all, she knew Chloe needed her – and she knew she needed her too.

Chloe felt more vulnerable than ever before. Those three words, _I need you_ , had never come out of her mouth before. In this moment, those three words were even more important than the other three words, _I love you_. In fact, _those_ words had not come out of her mouth since her dad passed away. Still, she had never admitted that she needed anyone ever before.

 _But it's true. And I wanted Max to know._

Chloe started opening up even more. "Ever since you left, I had always been alone. A fighter, you know? I built up walls made of my freakin' fear of being alone … and I guess I ended up alone in the end. Hella figures how that worked out for me."

Max was finally beginning to understand where Chloe was coming from. Why she always blew a fuse due to the smallest things. Why she was always stubbornly infuriated whenever Max gave the slightest bit of attention to any other person. Max finally understood that it was because she was scared. Max realized that the two girls had never actually talked much about how Chloe handled shit after Max left. Chloe was ultimately left alone and her defences were built higher and higher, in case anything attempted to break through her again.

With her mouth slightly ajar, Chloe's eyes started to become teary. Memories of her father and being alone flooded back into her mind. She began to gaze upwards, blinking rapidly to erase any traces of her vulnerability.

Max felt Chloe tense up, so she reached up and grabbed the blue-haired girl around the shoulders. She playfully kissed Chloe's cheeks over and over until the two girls lost balance and fell over, the blanket loosely wrapping around them.

After about a bajillion quick kisses all over her face, Max finally got Chloe laughing.

"Hey," Max began, "Whether you like it or not, you're kind of stuck with me."

Max lifted herself up onto her knees and dragged Chloe up as well. At that moment, the hazy guitar from the truck's blaring radio faded out, ending the song and introducing the short slot of the nighttime radio host.

 _Annnnd that was a damn great song of the 90s, ladies and gents! You are listening to Metal Nation, comin' at you live from Oregon. It is now 9:30 in the PM, so don't go away since I've got some more soft rock for you here –_

"Oh shit!" Max exclaimed.

Inattentively, Chloe was unravelling the blanked that had become quite tangled after their cute little fall. "Huh?"

"Chlo! Don't you remember? Blackwell's dorm curfew is at 10:00pm!"

"Uhhh, when I went to Blackwell, I lived at home. Guess that was for the better … 10:00pm curfew? The fuck? Do they have you on a leash or something?"

Max took the blanked from Chloe's hands and started folding it up. "Looks like it."

Chloe jumped out of the truck's bed and re-adjusted her beanie once again, until she finally sighed and said, "Alright alright. Get in." She opened the door, got in the driver's seat, and plugged in her seatbelt, waiting for Max to put away the blanket and come jogging back into the passenger's side.

"Can't you like sneak in?" Chloe asked as she started the ignition and set the truck into Drive.

"Oh man Chloe, I've been sneaking around like a juvenile delinquent so much lately. No way am I taking another risk to blow my chances at Blackwell," Max said as she buckled her seatbelt and set her book bag on her lap.

 _Hmmmm,_ Chloe thought to herself, _Now that I think about it, I've never even been to Max's place! Lame!_

 _But maybe that can change …_

"Juvenile delinquent, you say?" Chloe said, a sly smirk forming on her face.

Max turned her head to see Chloe's devious grin, knowing she had an idea. "Oh god. What?"

"Wellllll, I was thinking," Chloe started.

The truck made its way out of the secret cliff hideout and past the harbour, heading towards Blackwell to drop Max off.

"Hmm?"

"Wanna do another sleepover?" Chloe blurted with a smile on her face, bright eyes focusing on the road.

"A sleepover?" Max repeated.

"Yes! You know, where someone comes _over_ to _sleep_ … although sleep is lame and overrated. We could do other things and have fun!"

"And by fun you mean …?"

"Oh I dunno, Caulfield! For starters, I have a surprise for you but I won't give it to you unless we have another sleepover. At your place," Chloe teased, grinning.

 _Yes! I worked freakin' hard on making that mix CD for her!_

"Uh, unfair!" Max exclaimed. "Anyways, we've had sleepovers together for the past two nights. Plus, David still works at Blackwell, you know. Do you know how much he'll freak if he catches you sneaking around the dorms? No way, Price."

"Dude! That's bullshit! I don't care about that. We snuck into Blackwell's pool and made it out alive – I know we'll be fine. Anyways, it's not _you_ who'll be doing the sneaking. It'll be alllllll me. And I'm good at that crap," Chloe pressured.

"Yeah but I could still get in a bunch of trouble –" Max began, biting her bottom lip.

"It'll be fun! I've never even been to your dorm before. Think of it like … our last sleepover … maybe. Depending on if we make it through the whole tornado thing tomorrow night," Chloe mumbled.

If they got caught, they could both get in serious trouble. Max with the school and Chloe with the cops. On the other hand, Chloe was right. It could be their last sleepover together! Max thought about the risks of bringing Chloe over to her dorm for a sleepover. She tried to convince herself that she could always use her time rewind power in case either of them got caught. But she wondered whether she had enough energy to use it properly.

As if sensing her hesitation, Chloe reassured, "Common Mad Max. I don't want to go home and be alone tonight …"

With her smirk fading, Chloe allowed her words to leave a trail of honest loneliness and a desire to stay the night with Max.

It was most certainly enough to convince Max. With the visions and the threats of dying and the tornado, Max knew that getting caught past curfew with Chloe and potentially getting into trouble seemed insignificant. She realized that she should focus on what mattered most – the blue-haired girl she completely trusted and relied on.

Max let out an exaggerated sigh. "Chloe, you're a smartass. Fine."

Chloe broke out into a pleased smile. _Freakin' ACE!_

Chloe teasingly replied, "Hey now, I don't _have_ to come over if I'm not _invited_."

Max shot Chloe a death stare, although Chloe probably didn't notice since she was driving. Max replied, "No, no, I am _inviting_ you to my dorm."

"No really, Max! It's fine if you _really_ don't want me there," Chloe replied in her usual smartass way.

"Chloe. Come. Over," Max said tediously.

"Hmm, why would I do that?" Chloe replied sarcastically with a wide grin on her face, which was undeniably not fooling Max.

"I want you to come over, you ridiculous pirate," Max assured.

"What was that?" Chloe put her right hand near her ear, curving it at the fingers. "I couldn't quite hear you over the sounds of your rudeness."

"I WANT YOU TO COME OVER!" Max exclaimed, raising her hands. She couldn't help giggling herself at Chloe's ridiculousness.

"So. You want me, huh?" Chloe turned her head to Max, winking her eye exaggeratingly. "You ain't foolin' anyone, Caulfield. If you wanted me, you only had to say so."

Max scoffed as she broke out in a giggle. "Asshole."

The girls chatted and giggled all the way to Blackwell. A half a dozen more minutes passed and the two girls turned onto the main road that led to Blackwell.

Max reached for the radio's volume knob and turned it down substantially. "Chlo, you need to not be spotted, okay?"

"Yeah. I think I'm going to park the truck across the street a block away. If David is working overnight security, I don't want the asshole spotting my truck in the school parking lot and calling my mom," Chloe said as she drove straight past Blackwell and made a sharp turn onto the following street.

"Exactly," Max replied as Chloe parked the truck on a badly-lit side street. Looking at the clock on her cellphone, Max anxiously said, "So it's almost 10:00pm now. We can probably make curfew. Let's make our way to the dorms. Oh man, hopefully no one will see you."

Chloe turned off the truck's headlights, unbuckled her seatbelt and looked over at Max, who was likewise unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Hey Max," Chloe said as she leaned over and set her hand on Max's cheek, "Don't worry." Smiling, Chloe leaned in and gave Max a quick, sweet peck on the lips.

 _Want more. Soon. Tonight._

 _Patience, Chloe._

Chloe pulled back and climbed out of the truck, shutting the door loudly.

"Shhh!" Max whispered loudly as she got out of the truck. "Do you want everyone to hear that we are sneaking you in?"

"We're like a giantass block away! Don't worry Maxaroni," Chloe replied, grabbing Max by the arm and rushing over to Blackwell.

Night had definitely set. Arcadia Bay was never properly lit, making visibility quite tough – which was a good thing for the girls. They wanted to blend in with the darkness to sneak in without being seen.

The two girls quickly walked over to Blackwell, peeking from the corner to ensure there was no security on Blackwell's front lawn. After confirming that the coast was clear, the two girls climbed up the main stairs in front of the school and took a sharp right, heading towards the girls dormitories. Max dragged Chloe by the arm past the various photography portrait screens, past the picnic benches, and along the far right wall of bushes. Max was feeling more and more confident that they would be able to sneak Chloe in. The place was pretty much deserted and no one seemed to be around at that hour. The students must be getting ready for bed and security must be making rounds inside the school.

With Max leading the way, the two girls made their way into the dormitory entrance. Chloe looked around and gasped.

In a low voice, Chloe said, "Hey Max! I actually remember the dorms a bit. I did a buncha graffiti around here before I was kicked out of Blackwell! It brings me back." Chloe offered her famous smirk proudly. "Guess those head scumbags got rid of it."

Max muffled a chuckle and managed to grab Chloe by the arm. "Come on, Price."

The girls continued until they finally reached the girls dorms. The area was slightly better lit due to a few lamp posts. Chloe looked around her in awe. A bunch of fireflies crowded alongside the bushes that encircled the dorms. It was a calming sight. In the far corner, the Tobanga totem pole stood proudly.

Max gazed up on the rooftop – somewhat like an instinct. Ever since Kate attempted to jump off the roof, Max felt the need to be really alert while around the dorms. She gave up on the sneaking around the side of the old dorm building and anxiously started jogging towards the main dormitory entrance. There was no one around and she was getting antsy. Ultimately, she just wanted to get inside the building. She was almost there and she did not want to take the risk of someone catching them while they took their time sneaking around. Chloe quickly followed close behind her, not saying a word.

After a few more quick strides, Max finally made it to the dorm entrance. They finally made it without getting seen; yet, they still had to make it through the hallway without being spotted. If Victoria or one of her posers saw Max with Chloe, they'd surely get in shit.

Max excitedly grabbed the entrance door handle and turned it open, making sure to make no loud sounds.

 _Gotcha_ , Chloe thought to herself, relieved that no one had seen the two sneaking around.

 _Home free_.

"Miss?"

Despite Chloe's eagerness and Max's carefulness, the two heard a slow, deep voice call out behind them.

 _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Busted._

Startled, Max slightly jumped and turned around. Max had her right hand lifted, as if ready to rewind time at any moment. But she first wanted to take a closer look at the person before wasting any of her rewind power energy. It was quite dark out, but the lamp posts were bright enough for her to make out the shadowed figure calling out her name.

A grey jumper covered the man's body. She could make out the key features of the older man's face: slightly bearded, ashy brown hair, tinted glasses.

"Samuel! You scared the bejesus out of me!" Max quietly exclaimed as she spoke to the peculiar janitor.

"Salutations, young Max … and friend," Samuel said.

Chloe stepped out from the darkness of the shadowed walls and into the night's light. "Hey."

Samuel examined Chloe's face and said, "I do believe I know you, friend of Rachel Amber."

 _Gah, why does he seem so hella cryptic? He knew Rachel? Weird, when I went to Blackwell, I never seen him around. I hope he doesn't know about 'Chloe, David Madsen's Felonious Step-Daughter'. What a hardcore creeper._

"What are you two girls of the same gender doing here past the residential dormitory curfew?" Samuel inquired in his unhurried voice.

 _SUCH a hardcore creeper._

"Well, Chloe and I –" Max began before Chloe interrupted.

 _NOPE, Max is the worst at this. Quick!_

"Uhhh, I actually lent Max something of mine and I kind of need it. It's in Max's dorm. We _could have_ gotten here before curfew, but you see, I was driving and I didn't want to break the speed limit only in order to drive faster and get here before curfew. So, yeah …"

Samuel eyes her disbelievingly.

 _Damnit. That was not convincing at all, Chloe. You need to work on that._

"My apologies, girls, but school policy does not allow any such thing after curfew." Samuel shifted his eyes around. "Samuel is afraid you'll have to get it tomorrow, friend of Rachel."

 _Crap. This is bullshit._

"Uhh, sure. Thanks, dude. I'll find my own way out," Chloe said, turning back around towards the school's main lawn.

Samuel watched Chloe climb down the dorm entrance stairs, saunter off the lawn and head for the main campus. Samuel turned to Max. "Run along now. Until next time, Max." Samuel unhurriedly tipped an imaginary hat and walked away back into the shadows.

Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Max staring right back at her, the dormitory room slightly open.

 _Man, so close, yet so fricken' far away._

Catching Max's eyes, Chloe pulled out her phone and made a texting hand signal, letting Max know to check her phone soon.

 _Don't worry, Max. I'll be coming over tonight one way or another. And I'll bring the mix CD I made her._

Chloe made her way back to her truck, ensuring that she didn't get spotted by David or any other security-paranoid douchebag at Blackwell.

 _Well, I guess I have to wait a bit before everyone at Blackhell goes fucking beddy-byes._

Chloe shoved the key in the ignition and turned on the radio.

 _Patienceeeee. Hella fricken' patience. I'll be with her soon. Ahh! I'm stoked!_

 _Oh, wait a sec! I know – I can wait around like an hour until the coast is clear and until then, I can go get us some drinks. Yess. Or, drinks just for me. Whatever. Maybe she'll have some._

Chloe grabbed her seatbelt and plugged it in.

 _Let's see … gun? Check. Stashed underneath my seat. Mix CD for Max? Check. Hidden near the cup holder storage thing in the back._

 _Soooo. Next stop: drinks._

Chloe fixed the truck's mirror.

 _And then I can go home and grab the blue hair dye tube. Max would look so cute. Just a bit. I'll probs have to brush up on my convincing skills …_

 _But worth worth triple hella worth!_

 _She will rock it._

Pumped, Chloe thought to herself, _SHE PLANS, SHE SCHEMES!_

 _Hell yes!_

Before starting to drive off, Chloe shoved her butt slightly upwards in her seat, reaching into her back pocket to grab her cellphone. She clicked on Max's name and began to type.

 **Chloe: hey u freak. be ready to come get me at like 11 … ill come bearing gifts**

 **Chloe: sleepovaaaaa hail yais max!**

 **Chloe: we can braid each other's hair**

 **Chloe: and talk about cute boys (lol)**

 **Chloe: and shit**

 **Chloe: and by shit i mean …**

 **Chloe: booty call ofc**

Chloe gave herself a well-deserved smirk. She placed the phone on her lap and set the truck into Drive, exiting the street.

She drove down the empty, quiet street, taking the shortcut towards her neighbourhood. A few moments later, her phone beeped, letting her know of an incoming text. She glanced down to her lap, her phone illuminating the truck, and saw Max's text. Two single words – of excitement, obviously.

 **Max: oh god.**

* * *

 **A/N: Hehehe. Well! I wanted this chapter to be a short and sweet teaser as Max and Chloe's relationship developed, but I ... I HAVE A LOT TO SAY! Stay tuned though, Chapter 4 will get quite steamy, heavy, and risqué. ;)**

 **Song that Chloe is humming to at the very beginning: Second and Sebring by Of Mice & Men. **

**Song playing in the truck that Chloe's dad used to listen to: Superstar by Sonic Youth.**

 **Shout-out to all the awesome reviews, follows, and PMs! Truly helpful. You guys rock. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and I'll see ya in Chapter 4!**


	4. Escape

_Damnit._

 _Damn you Samuel for catching us._

 _And damn you 10:00pm curfew._

With the dormitory room slightly open, Max watched Chloe saunter away from the girls dormitories and trail off into the dark path leading to Blackwell's front lawn.

 _So close. Sorry, Chlo. My sneaking abilities kinda suck._

Max pushed the door opened and walked inside the dorm building, letting the door crash behind her.

 _Screw it. It's not like anyone's even asleep by now anyway._

Max adjusted her book bag strap on her shoulder and looked around her. The hallway was quite dark – probably because of the whole 'lights off in all hallways at 10:00pm so as to emphasize the curfew' policy. Although dark, Max could make out that the hallway was also completely deserted.

 _Empty. If it wasn't for Samuel, we would've been home free. No one to even catch us in the hallway._

Max let out a small, frustrated exhale and started her way down the hall. For the most part, it was pretty quiet. A few girls could be overheard in the bathrooms brushing their teeth and getting ready for bed. As she made her way past the bathrooms, she could pick out a few of the voices among the chatter.

"– matching earrings for tomorrow night, obviously. And the dress will be a surprise. He better notice or –"

Victoria. Of course Max could pick out _that_ voice. That shrilly, entitled voice.

"It would _so_ match your new lipstick –"

"– Yes! The one with the purplish tint and the –"

And Taylor and Courtney, echoing everything Victoria says.

"– totally look better than that skank Juliet and her hoe friend –" Victoria said.

 _Talking about the Vortex party tomorrow night. Typical._

"Bitches," Max muttered to herself.

Max continued making her way down the hall until she finally reached the very last door to the right. She fumbled with her key until she entered her room and turned on the light. As she kicked off her shoes and dropped her book bag down on the floor beside her bed, she heard the faint vibrating of her cellphone.

 **Bzz**

 **Bzz**

 **Bzz**

 **Bzz**

 **Bzz**

 _Who could be calling me at this hour?_

Reaching back into her bag, she dug out her phone. A tiny smile crept onto Max's face as she realized that no one was calling her. It was just Chloe. Texting her.

Texting her a lot.

One after the other.

 **Chloe: hey u freak. be ready to come get me at like 11 … ill come bearing gifts**

 **Chloe: sleepovaaaaa hail yais max!**

 **Chloe: we can braid each other's hair**

 **Chloe: and talk about cute boys (lol)**

 **Chloe: and shit**

Max's smile grew as she chuckled to herself. Her phone buzzed again in her hands, showing her two more eager texts from Chloe.

 **Chloe: and by shit i mean …**

 **Chloe: booty call ofc**

 _Wait. I can't tell if she's joking or not. Damn you Chloe!_ Max thought to herself jokingly. She was actually excited for their sleepover – _if_ she could manage to sneak her in the dorm. Big if.

Definitely excited, though, in more ways than one. Of course, Max wouldn't let the smartass Chloe know. She slowly paced her room back and forth as she read and re-read the wave of texts.

Finally she decided on two simple words as a response.

 **Max: oh god.**

Max made her way to her desk, putting her phone away, and thinking about what she will do until Chloe gives her the command.

 _Chloe said she'll text me in about an hour to sneak her in._

 _Oh man. How will I even do that? There's only the front entrance to go through … but then there's also the back stairwell … but that's always locked … so I guess just the front door and hopefully no one will be awake to hear …_

Her thoughts trailed off as she sat herself down at her desk, booting up her laptop and bringing up a few tabs. Max mindlessly checked her email and her Facebook, endlessly scrolling down her Facebook wall.

 _She said she'd come with gifts, too. I'm somewhat afraid to find out what it is_ , Max thought to herself.

 _Booty call?_ Her nervousness got the best of her as she remembered what they were doing a few hours ago. Her skin shivered.

It was just them. The junk yard. Secluded. Light kisses. Chloe's smoke surrounding them. Her on top of Chloe's lap. Rubbing. And then the in back of her truck. Loud music. Starry night.

 _Oh man._

She was certainly anxious. Yet, she couldn't help but feel calm. She admitted to herself that she was looking forward to Chloe coming over. Chloe was amazing, and Max knew it.

However, despite feeling an echo of calmness through her, she wasn't calm enough to patiently sit there for an hour, waiting for Chloe's text.

She shut the laptop screen down and got up, taking a few steps to her left and kneeling. "Hey there, bunny," Max cooed. She opened the cage and grabbed Kate's rabbit up, cuddling it in her arms and scratching its twitchy chin. With her free hand, she cleaned the cage, poured fresh water in its bottle, and refilled its food bowl to the brim. After bringing her face to the white rabbit's coat, kissing it a few times on the nose, and petting its back a few dozen times, Max finally put the rabbit back in its cage. "Night night bun bun." She shut the cage's door and put a thin sheet on top of the cage, covering it almost fully.

Still kneeling, she looked to her right to see her potted plant wilting away.

 _Lisa. I'm sorry, I've forgotten about you lately._

Max gently grabbed the bottle of water and poured some at the plant's base.

 _Save Kate and Chloe but you can't take care of your own plant, Max?_

Once she finished, she closed the bottled water and set it on her window ledge.

 _Hmm, so that killed about 5 minutes of your time, Max. What to do, what to do._

Turning around, Max found herself facing directly towards her mirror.

She saw her reflection, eyeing the strange girl in the mirror ahead of her. She still looked like the same Max she knew, but something was different.

 _Different GOOD, though._

As much as she tried to avoid the thought, the thought crept into her mind anyway: _It's because you're a non-virgin now, Max!_

 _Ahhh!_

She gazed at the short-haired brunette in front of her and realized she was beaming. Her face was bright and she looked dazed and happy.

Distracted, she checked herself out: she was still wearing Rachel's clothes. The ripped pair of black jeans and the dark blue punk-rock tee hugged her body, while the dark green checkered flannel hung loose around her.

 _I guess I should get out of these clothes_ , Max thought as she walked over to her closet and pulled the dark green flannel off of her arms. She then drew Rachel's tee off of her core and dropped it on the couch. Lastly, she unbuttoned the ripped jeans and shimmied out of them, throwing them on the couch as well to join the rest of Rachel's clothes.

 _Her clothes are cool and all but … I don't know. I guess I miss my clothes._

She got out of her cute bra and undies – which were actually hers – and sorted through the small underwear drawer in her closet. She didn't have too many options seeing as most of her bra and underwear sets were cotton pink, but she ended up picking a plain grey bra with white lace trimming and light blue underwear with tiny cloud designs on it.

 _Not Rachel-esque, but still cute._

 _Cute … enough for Chloe?_

 _I know I'm not hardcore like her but Chloe likes 'cute' right?_

Max bit her bottom lip as she stepped up to her closet. In her bra and undies, she started looking through her clothes dragging hanger after hanger to the side.

 _Hmm, what if it actually IS our last night together though? I don't want to just hop into my old comfy jeans and t-shirts._

Max sighed.

 _Max! This is no time to be self-conscious. Jeez. When has Chloe ever cared about that stuff?_

… _Still though. I want her to like what I look like._

Max finally decided to put in a little extra effort for Chloe, grabbing her only pair of black knee-high stockings. She sat on the edge of her bed, pulling the long socks up to her knees.

 _Damn you, Price. You better like this!_

Lastly, she dug in her closet until she finally pulled out a plain dark grey oversized top – loose and long enough to double as a short dress.

 _This works, right Max? Yeah._

She checked herself in the mirror as she brushed through her hair with her fingers.

 _Ugh. Nothing I can do about_ that _._

She eyed her pale legs and the stockings that covered them. _She'll probably see right through this and think I'm a dork. Smartass._ Max smiled to herself.

 _God, Max._ The brunette felt a quick jolt of nervous excitement at the thought of Chloe coming over in less than an hour. And doing God knows what.

 _What if we get caught though? Chloe'll probably get in so much shit. And even if we do make it, what then? Alone in here. Crap._ Max thought about her awkwardness for a few moments, until she remembered how Chloe acted just a few hours ago on the back of her pickup truck underneath the bright stars.

 _She was so beautiful. Is._

 _Chloe really opened up to me today. It was kinda sweet of her._ Max snickered to herself. _Planes. Ha._

 _She mentioned she's bringing something for me. Oh man, she's so impulsive. You never know with that pirate._

Another wave of nervousness washed through Max's body.

 _Gah, stop it. It's JUST Chloe, who you've known since forever._

 _Even though it's different now._

As Max slowly realized that it was a good kind of different, she decided to merely go with the flow. Walking over to the closet once again, she grabbed the box of chocolate coconut bites that her mom had sent her for her birthday and grabbed the copy of _Moron's Guide to Time Travel_ that Warren had lent her. The book was full with scattered sticky notes – Warren's doing, of course.

 _Now it's the waiting game. Please don't get caught coming here, Chlo. I can't save you if I don't know about it._

She sat herself on the couch and began reading.

11:00pm eventually rolled by, her nerves of anticipation to see the blue-haired girl ensuring that the hour went by smoothly and quickly.

 _Chloe should be texting me any minute now …_

She eyed her phone on the desk.

Nothing.

In an attempt to _not_ freak herself out, Max continued reading. And 'reading', due to her being nervous, actually meant re-reading the same few sentences over and over without paying attention one bit.

 _I wonder what –_

 **Bzzzz**

 _Finally._

Max shot up from her seat, leaving the book to fall from her lap and onto the floor, and grabbed her phone.

 **Chloe: dude i'm parking now on that sketchy side street again nd i need you to come get me**

Max replied as she made her way to the door.

 **Max: Coming :)**

 **Chloe: meet me at uh the front lawn of bw near those benches**

Max was already out the door, with nothing but her dorm key and cellphone in her hands.

She gently closed her door, ensuring it didn't make any loud noises. It was past 11:00pm so Max figured people may already be sleeping.

The hallway seemed even darker than before. Max clicked on her cellphone flashlight as she made her way down the hallway and out the main door.

She'd done this before.

This time, however, there was no run-in with a drunken Principal Wells.

No Wells, no Samuel, no anyone.

 _Thank goodness,_ Max thought to herself as she crossed the short lawn in front of the dormitories and jogged towards the front lawn.

In a few more short strides, Max finally reached the place she was supposed to meet the blue-haired girl and covertly escort her back to her room.

The lawn in front of her school was empty and poorly-lit, except for the few photography exhibits which were variously placed around the giant water fountain. Max ducked beside the far-wall near the bushes, crouching around the several picnic benches.

She searched the grounds, looking around for Chloe.

Once.

Twice.

 _Typical. No Chloe._

 _Where is she?_!

Max started to slightly panic in fear that her friend got caught along the way. She took a few steps forward, starting to frantically search for her.

"Chloeee?!" Max whisper-yelled her name, her wide eyes darting through the dark.

 _Oh god, what if she got caught?_

Max went to check her phone to see if Chloe had texted her anything else when a tall, dark figure emerged from behind Max.

"Max!" The blue-haired girl jumped and grabbed Max's arms, a teethy smile growing on her face. Max jumped, the contact obviously spooking her.

"Chloe! What the hell! What's wrong with you? _Why_ would you do that?!" Max spoke in an annoyed tone.

 _Okay, I'm not pissed. I'm jumpy._

Max took a breath and went on, "I thought someone saw you or something happe –"

But before Max could continue complaining, Chloe wrapped her arms around Max's waist and brought her into a close hug, bringing her lips to Max's. The bluenette planted a long, firm kiss on Max's lips as she moved her hands to her hip bones, gripping hard and pulling towards her.

When Chloe pounced on her a few seconds ago, Max was quickly reminded of a few nights ago when she met up with Chloe in this same place to sneak into Blackwell's pool.

 _Gah. Talk about some serious déjà vu._

 _And …_

With Chloe's hands on her waist and her breathy lips on her mouth, it only took Max a couple of seconds to picture herself and Chloe at the pool, almost naked, alone and wet.

"Hey Mad Max," Chloe finally said in a low voice, her famous smirk forming on her lips. Max gave Chloe the death stare for scaring her and in return, Chloe pulled Max closer for a long, simple hug.

Max's face was pressed against the crooked of Chloe's neck and she inhaled her scent. It was the fragrance of her childhood: of long summer nights staying up to play video games, of warm autumn days when they explored Arcadia's beaches, of cool rainy seasons when they would stay indoors and pig out. And now, she could smell something more. Cigarettes … musky sweetness.

Max couldn't stay mad for long.

Chloe's hands explored through Max's long, loose oversized top-dress, rubbing up and down her sides.

Max definitely couldn't stay mad for long.

With the hazy darkness of the night surrounding the two girls, Max found a trigger of confidence within her as she needily brought her arms around Chloe's neck and leaned in. Above all, Max was simply comforted that Chloe was finally with her.

Taking the hint, Chloe placed her lips onto Max's. The minor force of Chloe's kisses slightly opened Max's mouth, allowing Chloe to massage the brunette's tongue with her own. Max felt the way Chloe's kisses were impatient, eager, and sweet all at the same time, which made Max nervously eager herself.

Chloe was hungry for Max's kisses and this was evident with the pressure from her body on Max's. Without breaking their chain of needy kisses, Chloe's body pushed Max out of the safety of the shadows until she felt the hard edge of one of the picnic benches on her backside. With her eyes closed, Max felt around behind her until she grabbed the picnic table's edge and brought herself in a sitting position. Chloe positioned herself inbetween Max's legs. Leaning over Max, the taller blue-haired girl roughly placed her hand on the side of Max's cheek and continued kissing her. Chloe made her way down to Max's neck, sucking and nibbling along the way.

At the sensation, Max thought to herself how good Chloe's warm lips felt on her body. The nightly breeze tingled the wet trail of Chloe kisses along Max's neck which sent shivers through Max's lower core, her half-lidded eyes shuttering.

Max blinked and realized Chloe had spoken to her. Chloe smirked in that terribly annoying way of hers and repeated herself, "Hey we need to get outta here. You know. Before we get spotted and people see us and might wanna join in." Chloe let out a joking laugh as she dragged Max off the picnic table back into a standing position.

Max gave Chloe a look and replied in a soft voice, "Right. We should get going. Sneaking you in: round two."

Max adjusted her dress and took a look at Chloe. Now that she was in an upright position, Max could take a better glimpse at the blue-haired girl standing in front of her. Although it was dark, she could see that Chloe changed her clothes to a simple pair of light blue jeans and an old black and white band t-shirt that she had ripped off the sleeves and collar. Of course, she topped it off with her usual combat boots and dark blue beanie. Max eyed the straps around Chloe's shoulders and noticed that she was carrying a small backpack with her.

She briefly wondered what could be inside of it until she was rushed by Chloe to lead the way back to the dorms. As Max and Chloe crouched alongside the shadowed, bushy wall of Blackwell, Max whispered, "Chlo, you were late meeting me!"

Max could hear Chloe exhale behind her and say, "I got held up. Like I got fucking sick and was throwing up a bit. Ugh."

"Woah, really? Are you better now?" Max asked as she slowed down coming into the dormitory areas of the school.

"Yeah, I'm pretty ace now but I dunno … I think it's cause I'm probs supposed to get my period soon."

Max let out a small "Mm" before checking her surroundings and started sneaking through the courtyard.

"You know what that means?" Chloe continued with a sly tone to her voice.

"What?" Max replied inattentively as she crouched alongside the darkened wall.

"Well, it means you need to take advantage of me before it's Code Red," Chloe said, stifling a laugh.

"Oh man," Max replied trying to suppress a few giggles herself. They were almost there. The two girls were coming up to the gated area of the girls dormitory entrance and were about to walk in the dormitory yard before they stopped in their tracks upon hearing a noise.

The girls backed away into the shadows and Max peaked around the gate to try to catch a glimpse of who was there.

 _Wells._

 _Seriously?!_

 _AGAIN?_

The girls backed away behind the wall, further away from the gate. Max looked at Chle and waved her hands frantically. In her lowest voice possible, Max whispered, "Chloe, what the fuck! It's Principal Wells. He was here earlier this week, too!"

Max poked her head out again and glanced at Blackwell's principal, who, this time, was sitting down on the stairs of the house with his head in his hands and muttering to himself in a frustrated and drunkenly manner.

"This is crap. What is he even doing there?" Chloe asked, her lowered tone matching Max's.

"I don't know! I – I think he locked himself outside again. Which means that security will probably be coming over here any minute with the spare keys …" Max anxiously responded, the palms of her hands starting to get clammy and her stomach doing flip flops. She knew that they couldn't go back since security would most likely come from the side that they came from, and they couldn't go forward since a drunken Wells would be graciously awaiting them.

 _We're stuck, oh man!_

 _No no no. We can't get caught._

 _We can't._

Chloe had started darting her eyes around in hope for a place to hide or an escape route. With her head frantically turning in search for a way out, Chloe commented, "Can't you rewind us back to when Wells wasn't there? He wasn't there when you came to find me so can't you just –"

"No! No. I don't think so. If I rewind time, it'll get rid of Wells but it'll put you back at the truck! I need you with me!" Max whispered desperately.

"Fuckk. Hold on, I'm thinking. Uh. Uh. Uh. Okay … maybe … Okay. I know. I can distract Wells. I know he hates me. And then – and then, you can, uh, run past him back to the dorm or somethi–"

"And _then_ what, Chlo?" Max whispered as she tried to think of a way out. "Just … no. It won't work. You'll get caught and I don't want you to get in trouble!"

"No, seriously Max. Wells already hates me with a passion and knows I'm a dumbass cause of all the shit I've done when I was at Blackwell. But if he catches you, he will suspend you, too, Max. He's already iffy about you, especially with the Prescott shit going on. Just take out your dorm key and be ready to make a run for the dorms while I keep Wells –"

 _WAIT._

"Chloe! Yes! The keys!" Max whispered as she interrupted Chloe's thoughtful, yet stupid plan.

"What?"

"Chloe. Hold on. Do you remember what I did with Frank's keys?"

"Yeaaah, his trailer keys? You stole them. Damnit Max, how is this even fucking remotely relevant?" Chloe responded nervously.

"Exactly! It's how my time rewind works! Don't you see? Anything that is _on me_ travels back in time _with me_."

"So?" Chloe asked, still confused and irritated.

Despite her jumbled thoughts, Max knew what she had to do. Or at least try. It seemed to be their only option and it was worth a try.

 _Hell._

"Chloe. Take my hand," Max urged as she reached out to Chloe with her left hand.

"The fuck? Max! We don't have time for this shi –"

 _Time is exactly what we don't have_ , Max thought as she swiftly reached out and grabbed Chloe's hand. Before Chloe could even blink, tightened her grip on Chloe's hand and brought her right hand upwards, palm facing out.

And she rewound.

* * *

 **A/N: Holy crap.**

 **You must be like 'WAIT WHAAAT, is it possible?!'**

 **So I am making progress on a pretty lengthy chapter and I decided to break it up.**

 **I am working on this while I am at work right now, so I'm posting this little snippet as an update. My gift to you.** **3**

 **Have a lovely weekend and enjoy Episode 4 which comes out Tuesday HELL YES.**

 **I promiseee the juicy, citrusy, lemony smut will come soon. See you in Chapter 5!**


	5. Fierceness

**Trigger Warning: mentions of self-harm**

* * *

 _Maybe if …_

 _Could it work?!_

She had to try it. The anxiety of getting caught sneaking around the dorms _again_ pushed Max. This time, she was with Chloe and they _had_ to get out of there.

So Max did the first thing that came into her mind.

Despite Chloe freaking out beside her, Mad reached out and grabbed her hand.

"The fuck? Max! We don't have time for this shi –"

 _Time is exactly what we don't have_ , Max thought.

Before Chloe could even blink, Max tightened her grip on Chloe's hand and brought her right hand upwards, palm facing out.

And she rewound.

The world blurred around her, the dark colours of the night swirling around with mixtures of blood red.

She tightened her left hand to feel Chloe's hand. Still there.

 _Push yourself Max!_

She rewound and she rewound, and she rewound some more until her vision started the blotch up and she felt a heavy pressure in her head.

She turned her head and, through her blurred vision, she tried to see if it was working. What she saw next amazed her.

It was Chloe. Still in one piece, blue hair intact, her eyes widening at her surroundings.

 _Just a little bit more, Max!_

 _Come … ON!_

Before she could feel herself close to passing out, she stopped.

The world slowed down to a dizzying stop. The red and black blotches started to fade, only to unveil a familiar place.

Photographs.

A guitar.

A laptop.

"YOUR _DORM_?!" Chloe exclaimed, her hand still tightly gripping around Max's.

Max raised her right hand to her nose to make sure there was no blood.

"HOLY FUCK MAX. I – WE – WE ARE IN YOUR DORM!" Chloe cried as she turned herself to face Max.

Max rubbed her forehead with her palm and said, "I … think it worked. _Holy shit_ , Chloe."

"I. Just. Traveled. Back. In. Time. With. You." Chloe's eyes were gaping widely and it seemed the excitement would almost burst from her. "MAX. Do you realize what you just did?! We just avoided getting our asses busted! You are AMAZEBALLS, Max!"

By now, Max's vision had returned in full and the dizziness had finally come to a stop. Instead of four or five 'Chloe's' spinning around in front of her, she finally settled on one.

They had made it.

And they were intact.

 _Well, mostly. Took a lot out of me. But it was_ so _worth it!_

Chloe went on, "AMAZE. BALLS. Max. You are amazeballs. Like, your balls are amazing. Except not really, but still holyohmygod so hella AWESOME!"

"Chloe!" Max raised her hands to Chloe's mouth. "You need to hush! There are other people in this dorm!" Max lowered her hands to reveal Chloe smiling. "But yes. That was so freaking cool! I did not know my time rewind could do that."

"You think!? So let me get this straight. Whatever you hold goes back in time with you? Including _WHO_ ever you hold as well?"

"I don't know. I guess. I'm new to this," Max said in a lowered voice.

"Woah."

"Yup. I'm still kinda trying to take it all in. I'm pretty amazed," Max replied in awe.

 _Amazed, but mostly relieved._

 _Yeah, that's the word._

 _And glad that it worked and didn't, you know, break Chloe in half._

Max continued, "I mean, you got to _keep_ your memories even though I rewound time! If I used my time rewind alone, you would have forgotten everything, Chloe. And probably would have ended up back at your truck."

Chloe dropped her small backpack onto the floor and flopped on Max's bed face up, letting out a long exhale. "Hey Caulfield, I wonder if you screwed up the universe by pulling that shit," Chloe said with a slight chuckle.

"I don't even want to think about that. It's exhausting even thinking about it …" Max said as she kicked off her shoes and walked over to her desk to set her phone on the table.

"Ha. Well I hope you don't want to sleep now cause you're exhausted and all."

"Sleep? At a sleepover?" Max asked sarcastically, "Nah, you're crazy, Price."

"Good. Because it could potentially be our last night together," Chloe sat up, winked at the brunette, and allowed a large sly grin to form on her face. "Don't worry, Caulfield. I'll keep you awake."

The blue-haired girl watched Max walk back to the door to dim the lights. Max saw Chloe staring and explained, "I don't want the lights in my room to be seen from outside so they think I'm awake and doing something I shouldn't be."

 _Paranoid much, Max? Gotta cover my bases though._

Now that they were finally able to relax and let the tense pressure of getting caught release from their bodies, Chloe sat back and started eyeing Max. She didn't notice this before, but Max was dressed super cute. Chloe eyed Max from the feet up: black knee-high stockings, the paleness of Max's revealed upper thighs, and a giant grey top that worked like a dress.

"Oh damn, Max. Did you get all dressed up and cute for our little date?" Chloe said with her smirk returning.

"You know it," Max said in a joking manner as she looked down at her stockings.

 _Wait. Date?_

Max shook her head and decided to not overthink this. She raised her brows and returned Chloe's stare underneath her wispy, brown bangs.

In a like manner, Max checked out Chloe's getup, paying close attention to the black and white cut up tank top that probably used to be a band tee. She eyed the way her bullet necklace trailed down her chest and nestled in between her boobs. She thought that Chloe's top revealed way more than it should.

Which she liked.

Chloe, who was still leaning backwards on Max's bed, tilted her head upwards to see the wall of polaroid photographs that plastered Max's wall.

"Woah, Max. This is pretty sick." Chloe squinted. "Is that me?" She rolled over and knelt on the bed in front of Max's photograph wall. She grazed her knuckle on a photograph of her and Max, pre-big-five-year-move-to-Seattle. The top of the photograph was stained in a dark red paint, covering the corner and dripping down the edge. Chloe looked at the wall as a whole and saw the words Nobody messes with me bitch written on top of Max's photographs.

"Yeah. That's Nathan's doing," Max commented.

"Asshole," Chloe muttered before getting distracted by the other various things on Max's walls. She got up and moved away from the bed, examining Max's choices in posters, movies, and books. Upon making her way to her dorm window, a white ball of puff caught Chloe's eye from the ground.

"Aw!" Chloe knelt down beside the caged bunny. "You have a bunny, Max? Since when?"

 _I can't help but smile at Chloe – she's like a little kid, so amazed by the littlest of things._

Max walked near Chloe and sat herself down on the couch. "I wish. He's Kate's. I'm taking care of him until she gets back to Blackwell. Cute, huh? He likes it if you rub under his chin."

Chloe opened the cage gate at the top and stuck her hand in, first letting the white bunny sniff her hand and then slowly scratching underneath his furry chin. "Hello little bunneh. You're so hella adorable," Chloe cooed. The bunny eventually left Chloe's petting hands and wandered over to drink some water. Chloe took her hand out, closed the cage gate and made her way to Max's desk. She grabbed the seat and flung herself into it, sitting backwards in the chair. Facing Max, Chloe rested her hands on the chair's top and put her chin on her hands.

 _Hmm …_

"So all in all, this is a pretty sweet joint you got here, Max. A little tight, but sweet," Chloe said, eyeing the brunette.

Chloe slowly gazed at the posters above Max where she was sitting on the couch. She slowly eyed the entire wall up until she reached the end of the couch near the closet – and saw the neck of a guitar sticking out from the corner.

"Woah – wait, is that an acoustic?" Chloe nudged her neck over to the side to have a better view and pointed towards the guitar.

 _Oh yeah. Forgot about that thing. I really should be practicing more._

Max leaned over the side of the couch, grabbing the guitar by the neck and setting it on her lap bottom-up. "Haha, yeah. Birthday present. You know how I'm into acoustic indie rock and all."

Chloe looked at the guitar, back at Max, and then back at the guitar again. "You play, Caulfield?" Chloe smirked and raised her eyebrow in disbelief.

Max quickly returned the smirk – or attempted to – and said, "No, I just keep it here for decoration … of course I play, you smartass pirate!" Max giggled as she set the guitar in place and gently tightened the strings at the top.

Chloe chucked and responded, "I didn't know you were secretly cool!"

"Yeah," Max said lazily, "Wait what? No. …Yes? I only kn–"

"Play me something!" Chloe excitedly said as she eyed Max.

Max set the guitar back down on her lap and hesitantly said, "Uh, I haven't really practiced in forever and I probably suck especially since I lost all of my guitar picks and –"

"Commonnn! A bit?" Chloe smiled genuinely.

After a few moments of reluctance, Max picked up the guitar and sat it in place again. She positioned her fingers.

 _Don't screw up, Max._

 _Chloe's watching you. Don't freak._

Max hadn't played her guitar in front of anyone before; it was something she did for herself, by herself. No audience. No expectations. So now that Chloe was here, watching her intently, Max suddenly froze up.

And just when she thought she had forgotten all of the chords she ever knew, her fingers started strumming a simple acoustic melody, as if her fingers remembered what her mind had forgotten.

As she softly nodded her head to keep the beat, Max began playing a gentle melody that Chloe found to be soothing and lovely. Chloe's smile widened.

Max gazed up at Chloe, who was looking right back at her.

 _Uhh, better stop before I embarrass myself._

Max hurriedly ended her strumming and brought the melody to a stop. "I … don't want to wake anyone. I'll just set that back where it was." Max placed the guitar in its proper location and brought her legs up on the couch to sit cross-legged.

"Sure sure. Hey, Caulfield. You know what they say about guitarists?" Chloe's sly grin splashed over her face as she eyed Max.

"What?"

"They …" Chloe let out a small chuckle. "They have great _fingering_."

Max's mouth slightly dropped and her face began to flush. "Oh …"

 _Oh my god._

 _Oh. My. God._

Chloe burst out laughing – mostly because she thought she was hilarious, but also because Max's awkward face made her giggle. Finally, when her laughing simmered to a small chuckle, Chloe said, "Joking. Kindanotreally." Max's shock eventually calmed and transformed into a small giggle, until she found herself joining in on Chloe's ridiculousness.

Then, Chloe got up from the chair and sat herself properly in front of Max's desk. Max watched her as she grabbed the laptop's mouse and swirled it around the pad in an attempt to revive the laptop that was previously in sleep mode.

"I'm just gonna check the time on this thing."

As Max's laptop booted up, a series of webpage tabs that Max had previously left open popped up. "What's this?" Chloe clicked through the different open tabs. "Dimension paradoxes … physics of time travel … the persistence of time … Holy crap, Max. You've been doing lots of research, huh?"

Max nodded, but she realized that Chloe couldn't see her so she followed up with a gentle "Uh huh."

"This is the shit that would make my head hurt. Ouu. What do we have here?" Chloe sorted through the tabs and clicked on Max's open Facebook page.

From the couch, Max tilted her head outwards to see what Chloe was looking at. "Oh guess I left that on. You can log me out if you want to check yours."

"Log … you … out …?" Chloe scrolled down Max's wall and made her way to her profile page. "Yeah, sure. I'll check mine in a sec." Max tilted her head back on the couch and closed her eyes, letting out a long, drawn-out yawn.

Chloe briefly glanced to make sure Max wasn't aware of what she was doing and deviously clicked around Max's profile until she found the edit button on her 'About Me' section. Quickly, Chloe made some quick changes and clicked save.

"Done," Chloe said, sly smirk widened.

"Huh?" Max dazedly said as she was coming back from a yawn. "Wanna shut the laptop screen down for me, please?" Max rubbed her eye and continued, "We should call it a night soon."

But before Chloe could even say another word, the girls both turned their attention towards the desk.

 **Bzzzz bzzz.**

"Max, your phone," Chloe commented as Max lazily got off the couch and walked over to reach for her phone.

 _Who the heck can be texting me at this hour?_

Max slid her phone open to reveal a new message from Dana.

 **Dana: MAXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!**

"Uh, I don't know why, but Dana Ward is texting me."

"One of Victoria's bitches?" Chloe asked. "I kinda remember her!"

"Yeah, but she's pretty cool. Wonder what's up. Hope she's okay … she was going through some pretty messed up things with her boyfriend."

Max started to reply.

 **Max: Danaa? :S What's up? Want me to come to your door?**

Almost immediately, Dana responded.

 **Dana: U know what's up! Way to not mention anything to me! :PP I guess congrats are in order even tho I thought Warren was ur bitch all this timeeeee**

"What? That was weird." Max said.

With a devious smile, Chloe brought herself to use her most innocent tone and ask, "What was?"

Max read Dana's text message to Chloe. When she finished, she started to draft her response.

 **Max: Uh, thanks? I'm lost. For what :\**

 **Dana: Common max ur fb status w that blue haird girl**

" _What_ is she talking about? What status?" Max scrunched her eyebrows together in confused concentration as she walked over to her desk. Leaning over Chloe, she opened up her Facebook and went to her profile. As soon as she scrolled down, she saw it.

 _Oh god._

 _Oh…_

 _God._

"CHLOE!"

Max Caulfield is now in a relationship with Chloe Price.

"You changed my freakin' _relationship status_?! Chloe!"

Chloe let out a laugh as Max's eyes widened. "It is now Facebook official, oh sweet nerd of mine."

 _Ohfuckohfuckohfuck._

Max was nervously scrolling on her Facebook profile and even considered deleting the post, but the flood of 'Likes' somewhat changed her mind.

"I – I can't … believe you …" Max started, wordless.

"Fuck yes! The people must know!"

Max's mind was racing. But despite being freaked, Max was somewhat happy and relieved since she finally knew where they stood.

 _If it's engraved on Facebook, it's official. Obviously._

 _So we are together. Together?_

 _But …_

 _What if Chloe is just trolling and she did that as a joke?_ Max was overwhelmed by feelings of confusion, happiness, relief, and self-doubt.

 _She probably is just joking._

In the end, the feelings of confusion and self-doubt outweighed the others and she finally decided to go ahead and delete the relationship update. As she moved the mouse curser to do just that, Chloe placed her hand on top of Max's.

"Don't delete it. I want us to be this way." Chloe looked at Max intensely and genuinely added, "I hella mean it, Max."

Max started biting her bottom lip. She did not want to be embarrassed because of this, but the warmth of Chloe's hand on top of hers gave her a sincere feeling of safe honesty.

Chloe sensed Max's hesitation. With her free hand, she shut the laptop screen down, leaving everything as it was. With her other hand that was on top of the brunette's, she grabbed Max's hand off of the mouse and gently placed it on her own cheek.

Slowly, she sat up off the chair and faced Max, her hand still on Max's hand which was resting on her cheek. In a low voice, Chloe whispered, "Trust me."

And she did.

Max trusted Chloe more than anyone in her life at that moment.

Max looked up at Chloe's intense gaze. Her eyes were the darkest of blue. Max did not hesitate to let herself fall inside of them.

Max couldn't find the words to question Chloe, so she let out a simple "Okay."

Chloe then stepped in closer and kissed Max. First, her forehead beneath her wispy bangs. Then her nose, and finally, her lips. It was a soft kiss, different than before. When Chloe pulled away, she looked at Max for a few moments until she finally said, "Okay."

Max found herself speechless once again, so she settled on mirroring Chloe and dorkily saying "Okay."

Chloe let out a gentle laugh. "Okay," Chloe said as she smiled at Max.

Chloe's kisses left Max breathless and cloudy, so this wasn't one of her keenest moments.

Changing the mood, Chloe let Max's hands drop to her sides as she made her way near the bed where she had left her bag.

"Sooo," Chloe started as she unzipped the bag, "I brought some things with me, Max!"

Max's curiosity peaked. She slowly wandered over to Chloe and knelt down beside her. "What's in the backpack?"

Chloe dug around until she finally pulled out four shiny bottles filled with what seemed to be a bubbly, green liquid. "Well, I figured this would be a BYOB kind of sleepover and I thought you probs wouldn't have any good alcohol anyways. So I did some digging and snagged some drinks for us!"

"Uhh, _us_?" Max asked wearily. She grabbed one of the green bottles and examined the label. Max wasn't much of a drinker.

 _Oh no. I hope she doesn't get any ideas._

"Hell yes, Max! They're green apple," Chloe stated as-a-matter-of-factly. She pulled out all four of the coolers and set them on the floor in front of them.

Max leaned backwards with her back up against the couch's edge in an attempt to let Chloe know that she will not be having any. Max tugged her messy hair behind her ear and said, "Uh. I'm good."

"Max. This is sad. I can't be the only one drinking." She grabbed two of the bottled by the neck and rested both of the bottles against the bed frame's edge. With the bottle caps hooked on the edge, Chloe pulled down in one swift movement.

The caps both fell off, the bubbly fizz escaping from the bottles and filling the room with the smell of fruity apple and citrus. Chloe kept one for herself and slid the other one across the floor towards Max.

 _Don't fall in her traps, Max!_

 _You know you're lightweight!_

 _Plus, drunk you might embarrass yourself in front of Chloe, Max._

"Cheers, Max," Chloe said. Max gave Chloe the death stare and after a few silent moments, Chloe continued, "Common, Max! I won't drink until you cheers with me!"

"Ugh, Chloe. I'm not trying to be hungover tomorrow morning! I still have class, you pirate," Max explained.

"Pfft, cut the crap, Max. I'm not buyin' it. These are coolers! You will not get hungover from two tiny sips!"

Max giggled and jokingly said, "I can't stand this peer pressure, Price!"

Chloe edged her butt on the floor to get closer to Max.

"Hmm, okay. I won't pressure you then," Chloe said as she smiled.

"Okay good, you can drink but as long as –"

"I dare you," Chloe said.

"What? No!" Max gave Chloe a condescending look.

"Pfft. Dude. You didn't even think twice about smooching me _all ova_ on a dare!"

Max's mouth slightly opened and then quickly closed, as if she was going to say something. "That – that was different."

 _You're weak, Max._

"OHHHHH, I see," Chloe sarcastically said, her famous smirk beaming. "You can't just pick and choose the dares you wanna do, Max. I mean, I know you wanted me and all buttttt …"

 _Sigh._

"Chloe. Shut up," Max said. She quickly reached down and grabbed the sparkling, green bottle on the floor and brought it to her mouth, taking a series of large gulps.

 _Oh wow._

 _Mm._

It tasted just like it smelled – fruity and citrusy – but it definitely had a kick to it.

With her untouched bottle still in her hand, Chloe laughed and said, "Dude, we didn't even get to cheers." Chloe lifted the bottle in her hand and raised it to Max, urging them to cheers nonetheless.

Max took another gulp and extended her hand to Chloe. The drink left her lips slightly tingly and wet, so she kept them a bit pursed and puckered.

Chloe intensely looked at Max and began, "Cheers to … Uh. Nothing crappy and pathetic. I guess just … Cheers to life slightly _not_ sucking fucking balls as much."

 _It's a start, Chloe, it's a start._

"Mm, yup," Max added as she gently collided her half-empty bottle with Chloe's.

The two girls spent the next quarter of an hour finishing up their drinks and chatting about a random variety of simple nothings: alcohol, Joyce, acoustic guitars and electric guitars, Max's parents, fake ID's.

Finally, Max took the last sip of her drink and finished it off, bringing it to the floor next to her first empty bottle. Chloe polished up her drink shortly after and set the bottles along Max's.

"See? They were good right?" Chloe asked, smiling.

"You're just a bad influence, Price," Max said jokingly, although she wasn't completely joking. She was doing something that put her out of her element. Still, Chloe's familiar presence brought her back to her comfort zone and evened it out.

"Yeah, yeah," Chloe said while she lined the empty bottles up along the wall of Max's closet.

Max snickered and raised her eyebrow. "So that was your surprise, Chlo? Sneaking us some drinks and getting me drunk? Not much of a surprise – pirates and booze? Pretty expected actually."

Chloe let out a quick "Ha!" and quickly followed, "You nerd – you are so not drunk! It'll take way fucking more than two coolers, babe. You must be just a little tipsy." Chloe tugged on her beanie to adjust it. "But nah, that wasn't my surprise."

A sly grin appeared on Chloe's face as she leaned backwards to grab her backpack closer to her.

 _Huh? There's more?_

 _Oh god. Wonder what she's up to._ _I mean, the drinks were wild enough for me – although they actually tasted kinda good. And Chloe's face when I chugged that first drink was pretty amazing._

Max watched Chloe unzip the backpack and look through it.

 _Hmm. Weed maybe? Maybe. No way in hell will I touch that. Be prepared in case she asks! Stay strong. You were kinda weak with the drinks. There is a line, Max._

Chloe scrummaged around the bottom of her bag for what seemed like a few moments and it appeared to Max that whatever she was moving around and grabbing in there was pretty small in size.

 _Probably a baggie of weed._

Finally, Chloe stopped the scrummaging in her backpack and looked up at Max. "Okay, don't freak out. It's just that I think it'll look amazing and if you just try –"

 _Look amazing? Okay, definitely not weed._

" _Chloe_. What the hell are you trying to do? What's in your bag?" Max asked impatiently. She sat up from her butt and knelt up close to Chloe. When Max tried to peek inside the backpack, Chloe defensively closed it shut.

"Dude, you gotta promise me you won't freak!"

 _Sigh._

 _Well. It_ is _a surprise for me._

 _What the hell._

Max let out a long exhale and sat back down. "Fine. I won't freak my shit on you, Chloe."

 _Maybe._

Chloe re-opened her backpack, pulled out her hand painfully slow, and then whipped it out in front of Max.

"Bam!"

 _Oh … okay? A toothpaste tube._

"Uh, Chloe. What is the big surpri – OH MY GOD NO." Max exclaimed as her vision settled to read the label on the blue hair dye tube.

Chloe had originally grabbed the hair dye from her and Rachel's secret hideout in the junkyard, making it her mission to give Max some … 'vibrancy'.

Not that Chloe thought Max needed it. Chloe loved the way Max looked either way; she just thought that Max would look pretty hella awesome with some blue in her hair.

"Max! You said you wouldn't freak! You're probably going to hella lose it now, aren't you?" Chloe's defeated tone was more of a statement than a question.

"Chloe! Yes! Of course I'm going to freak out – you want to put blue hair _dye_ in my hair! The hair colour of pirates! Are you cereal, Price? Gosh, You are so spontaneous it's ridiculous."

"I'm telling you, just a few itty bitty streaks! Common, Caulfield. We could match and it would be so fucking awesome!" Chloe exclaimed. She was practically beaming with excitement.

 _No way._

 _Fine line. Fine line. Fine line._

 _But, it_ would _be cute._

 _I mean, as an idea. Of course._

… _Damnit, Max. Do not!_

"Nope! No can do, Price." Max shook her head in disapproval as she looked down at her feet.

Chloe crawled over to Max, sticking her head near Max's in order to better connect their eyes.

"Think of it like – like matching friendship bracelets!" Chloe began. "That are … in your hair. And … aren't really bracelets at all. But you get what I mean!"

Still, Max was not having it, which was evident in the shake of her head and her muffled "Nuh uh."

"Okay fine, but just tell me: what's the deal? What's your problem with it?" Chloe asked.

Max thought for a moment or two until she finally said, "I guess it would look just too wild and crazy on me."

 _For starters._

"Whaa? Nah, it really hella won't! Look, it would be super small and barely even visible! Plus, it washes out in a few weeks anyways."

 _Still …_

"I still would definitely _not_ be able to pull it off. It would probably look awful of me," Max added.

"Pfft!" Chloe said, "I say you can pull it off and so it shall be!"

"I don't think so."

 _I can't really see myself with blue in my hair. Mom and dad would probably freak and think I'm heading down a rebellious road. Hah._

"I do! What's holding you back, Max?" Chloe asked.

 _Good question._

 _Uh._

 _Something small wouldn't be completely horrible._

 _I guess I_ am _somewhat into it._

 _You're such a wimp, Max._

 _But still, no._

"I already don't do anything with my hair though. It's just a giant mess and it does what it wants. Don't even bother," Max said in a defeated tone.

"I love your damn hair. And it'll be so hella cute, Max!" Chloe said, flashing a bright smile.

Max wasn't sure if it was the few drinks she had or the slim chance that Chloe was right – not that she'd ever let her know that. Or maybe it was the way Chloe said 'hella cute' – her tongue flicking at the l's and her mouth wrapping around the u.

But in the end, she agreed.

With a wide, excited grin, Chloe started setting up to put some blue in Max's hair. She collected a few things she needed from Max's room – a small hair brush, an empty bowl.

As she was setting up her lab, Chloe looked on the floor and then looked around the room. "Hey Max, this might get messy – do you have any flowing papers you don't need?"

Max got up and thought for a moment. She went over to her desk and fished through the endless files of paper until she finally found a few loose sheets.

"I dropped AP English, so I guess I won't be needing these," Max said as she sat back down on the floor with Chloe, waving her AP English notes.

"That works!"

Chloe grabbed Max's old English notes and started laying them on the floor to make sure that if she did mess up and drop some dye around, it won't _completely_ ruin Max's floor.

Once she was done setting up, Chloe got Max to sit cross-legged on the floor and she began the process. Chloe brushed Max's hair quickly and started looking for the best spot to add the dye.

When Chloe reached out to grab some hair, Max slightly flinched and pulled back.

Chloe gave her a 'chicken' look, to which Max responded, "I'm nervous, okay Price?"

"Trust me! If you don't like it, you can … I dunno – you can take me to one of those snob hairdressers and get them to give me a posh style like Victoria and her freaks – god forbid," Chloe said jokingly.

Max nodded and let out a calm exhale, signaling to Chloe that she was committed and her hair was now in Chloe's hands.

Chloe stuck her tongue out in concentration as she grabbed two skinny pieces of hair that framed Max's face. She began squeezing dye from the tube and rubbing it in both strands.

"Not that I'm nervous or anything … but what exactly are you doing?"

"You'll get to see after, Max!" However, to calm the brunette's nerves, Chloe decided to be nice and talk Max through it. "I'm giving you two small blue streaks – one on each side of your face. On your right side, I wanna put one in the very front that will directly frame your cute face. And then on your left side, I wanna put the second one underneath your other layers of hair – but still at the front."

 _That's not bad at all, Max._

 _See?_

 _Trust in Chloe, however reckless she may be._

"Oh, that sounds kind of cute actually," Max said as she crinkled her nose from the trace of hair dye chemicals.

"Fuck yes, yes it does," Chloe smiled and she went on, "One blue strand on the top where you can see it, for all the days you were with me here in Arcadia. And then one blue strand on the bottom where it's kinda hidden, for all the days you were gone but still stayed with me in my mind."

Max, who was keeping her eyes closed all this time, lifted them open to look at the blue-haired girl in front of her. Chloe had stopped rubbing in her hair and was staring straight at her with her intense gaze. She was smiling and Max felt a pang of guilt hit her, along with a crash of raw affection for this girl.

Max smiled back at Chloe. She brought her hands to Chloe's cheeks and leaned in for a quick, gentle peck, kissing the girl she knew had issues with emotions and speaking her mind.

"You missed a spot," Max said as a sly grin formed on her face. Chloe gave her half a death stare until she realized what a little smartass Max was, which caused her to burst out into an illuminated laugh, the trill of her giggles filling the room.

Max loved watching Chloe; she loved every moment of it. She was always pushing Max to her limits, only to be ready to catch Max when she came down by bringing her back to her safe comfort zone.

"You're hella lucky I like you, Caulfield. Cause you know I'm kinda psyho," Chloe said as she put the finishing touches on Max's kind-of-brown-but-almost-blue hair strands.

Max let out a few soft chuckles as well as she watched Chloe finish up.

"Mmm, there. Done. Finishedito," Chloe said as she admired her handy skills to dye hair and not stain anything blue along the way.

"Uh, I think it's 'finito'," Max laughed. "What do I do now?"

Chloe gave her a sneer before she said, "Well, you gotta get wet!"

Max was slightly taken aback before scolding herself for having a dirty mind. She quickly followed up, "Oh, I guess a late-night shower is in order then."

Chloe, of course, saw Max flinch at her words, but she let it pass. She thought to herself that she had to be nice _sometimes_.

"Basically. You'll have to rinse the shit out of your hair," Chloe remarked as she got to her feet and extended her hand to Max to bring her to a standing position as well.

Max walked over to the mirror to see herself, now with two dark and wet strands hardening with dye.

 _What did I get myself into?_

 _Here's to hoping it turns out okay._

Max made her way to her closet to grab her shower kit along with a few white towels. Once she grabbed everything and piled them up in her arms, she walked over to the door and said, "Okay, I won't take too long. Be right back. Oh, and please try to not do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Uh, what? Oh. You think I'm just going to stay here," Chloe repeated as she let out a quick "Ha!" She went on. "No way am I staying here alone while I wait for your ass to come back!"

"Chloe, it already took a lot out of me to sneak you in here with my time rewind thing. I won't be able to use it again! You can't be seen by any of the gir –"

"This is bullshit. Nu uh. I'm coming. Who says we will get caught? We will just be super careful and you won't even have to use your time rewind. What? You don't think we have enough sneaking skills to sneak into the dorm _bathroom_? Pfft. Besides, who's gonna make sure you're taking the dye out properly? Can't let a noob like you screw up my art work, Max."

"Okay, okay!"

 _I guess it wouldn't hurt to have her come with me._

Max went on, "I see no problem with it, I guess ... as long as you aren't seen by anyone. Especially Victoria and her friends. They would do anything to have me kicked out of this school."

 _Plus, I really_ am _a noob at hair dye._

"Say nooo more, Max," Chloe said, jumping at the chance to go with Max. She grabbed the towels that were piled up in Max's arms, leaving Max with the shower kit.

Max opened the door quietly as she poked her head out. The dim light from her dorm spilled out into the darkness of the dorm hallway. The light was giving; it gave Max enough vision to see that the hallway was in fact pretty empty. She couldn't quite see around the corner around the bathroom, but it gave her enough confidence to nudge Chloe out the door with her. Once Chloe shut the dorm door, however, the hallway turned pitch black.

But as Max wasn't going to turn back to bring out her phone light, she decided to simply walk through the dark.

 _It'll be easy, Max._

 _You've done this so many times when you took those late night refresher showers after studying for chem._

As her and Chloe quietly walked down the hall, Max found calmness in remembering that earlier that night when she was walking to her dorm, she had heard Victoria, Taylor and Courtney in the bathrooms. She could safely assume they were already done with it and won't be coming back for the night.

 _Plus, if you run into Brooke or Alyssa, it won't be so bad. You can trust them to keep a secret. Hopefully. Oh man._

Max brushed away the nervousness of having Chloe trail right behind her and felt the wall along the left side. She trailed her fingers along it, the cold surface of the wall guiding her. They snuck all the way until Max felt the wall curve, signaling that they were almost at the bathrooms.

Inbetween her worried thoughts of getting caught, a slightly different thought hit her.

 _This is kinda hot._ Despite being pretty innocent and inexperienced, Max thought that sneaking around with Chloe by her side felt pretty badass.

As they were coming up around the corner, Max softly whispered, "Turn here, Chlo. I'll grab the bathroom door for you."

Max felt around until she hit the door knob of the bathroom door and slowly dragged it open, letting Chloe walk inside. Closely behind Chloe, Max walked in and gently closed the door behind them.

The bathroom lights were off, which left the bathrooms in pitch blackness.

 _Hmm, no lights probably means that the bathrooms haven't been touched for a few hours now._

Max flicked the lights open and let the light illuminate the showers.

"Well this is pretty fucking deserted," Chloe said, using her louder voice now that the door was shut tight and they were alone. "Which is, you know, ace seeing how the prep losers would probably freak if they saw you with blue in your hair."

"Or, maybe they'd freak at the fact that I snuck a previously-expelled badass in the dorms with me to drink alcohol and do strange coloured alterations to my hair," Max replied as she let out a soft laugh.

"There's that, too."

Max brought her shower kit inside one of the shower stalls and set it on the stall stand. She made her way back to Chloe and grabbed the towels from her arms, flinging them over the top of her chosen shower wall.

 _Okay. Fast shower just to get this dye out and then back to my dorm as quickly as possible._

 _In and out._

Before entering inside the shower stall and beginning, she glanced back at Chloe who was now leaning against the sinks with one foot on the wall. She seemed disinterested while she flicked at one of her nails.

"I'll keep guard, Max. If I hear anyone walking down the hall, I'll tell you and I'll hide in the last shower stall until they leave. And meanwhile I can even instruct you how to properly wash out the dye while you shower," Chloe casually stated.

Max nodded as she took off her shoes and got in the shower stall, pulling the curtain along the entirety of the shower entrance.

Max began removing her clothes, starting with her knee-high socks. Then she pulled her long, oversized top over her head while being careful not to smudge her freshly dyed strands on her clothes. Lastly, she snapped off her bra and peeled down her underwear. She hung all of her clothes near the towels on the wall, far away from where the water could reach.

 _Only slightly nervous that Chloe is out there – like three steps away – waiting for me and keeping watch. Wowzers, definitely slightly nervous._

 _Only slightly_ , Max convinced herself.

From inside the stall, Max could hear Chloe humming what she thought was some sort of metal song. She turned on the shower with a squeak of the knob, drowning out Chloe's humming, and let the hot beads of water trail down body.

 _Okay, Max. Quick shower. In and out._

After a few moments of standing with her eyes closed and her face towards the shower head, she looked down to her feet. She saw blue streaks run down her body and circle around the drain. Max watched the dye rinse off as if it were watercolour, the blue paint tainting the clear water.

Max was enjoying the hot water on her skin and was just about to grab the shampoo …

… when she felt a pair of hands on her body.

They started around her waist before moving up to her breasts, causing a sharp inhale from Max. Chloe came in behind the brunette, tightening her arms around her core and bringing her into a wet embrace from behind. Max could feel Chloe's naked body up against her backside while Chloe grazed her lips along Max's shoulder.

Chloe's hardened nipples against Max's back gave her shivers. Max pulled out of the blue-haired girl's grasp and turned around to confront her. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. Wet drops of water were trailing down her lips.

Chloe was close to her. So close.

"Hi," Chloe said softly.

Max stared at Chloe's intense, blue eyes and whispered, "Hi ..."

The blue-haired girl gave Max a small grin and gently said, "I said I'd instruct you." She played with the words, her shoulders swaying and her mouth pouting as she said 'instruct'.

 _Holy. Crap._

Max went to check out Chloe's bare body, but before she had the chance to fully take in all of Chloe's nakedness, Chloe began kissing her.

Her kisses were selfish, her hands working their way up Max's stomach and her tongue deepening with every intense kiss. The sensation of Chloe on her along with the steaming water running down her body was overwhelming.

The spark was quickly fanned into a flame as the force of Chloe's wet body pressed up against Max's, causing the brunette to back up against the shower wall – the icy tiles cooling her hot back. The sensation forced Max to let out a short, fragmented breath, to which Chloe noticed. With a sly smirk, Chloe eyed Max's every move. With Max, she was in the here and now, her attention completely focused on her girl's needs and limits.

But she also knew the effect she had on Max.

And she loved every moment of it.

The hot water continued to pour from the shower head directly above them. It first flowed onto Chloe, as she was taller, and then ran down along Max's chest.

Chloe's bullet necklace rested down the centre of her chest, inbetween her two mounds. Droplets of water trailed down the necklace and quickly dripped off the tip, sliding down her cleavage.

Chloe slightly tilted her head and leaned in towards Max ever so painfully slow, her predatory smile leaving Max thirsting for more.

 _She's gonna …_

 _Oh man …_

 _I think she's gonna …_

Max's thoughts were racing. She wanted Chloe to kiss her again. Kiss her hard and long. And while she was nervous and kind of wanted to rush it quickly, she _also_ wanted to drag it out – rewind back and forth, back and forth. Chloe's warm, pouty lips on hers over and over.

Without a word, Chloe leaned in, her face closer and closer …

… andddd went right past Max.

Chloe briskly turned her attention to the small shower stand that was clustered with Max's shower bag. She reached out and grabbed the shampoo.

 _Oh. Gotta get clean. Right. That's why you're here, Max._

Max reached for the shampoo bottle from Chloe's hands, but Chloe pulled back.

"Nu uh. Let me, babe," Chloe softly said.

"Really?" Max replied, to which Chloe just smiled and gave a slight nod.

With wide doe eyes, Max bit her bottom lip as she gathered every bit of her confidence. The brunette quietly reached out and placed her hands on Chloe's pale, wet, and slender waist while Chloe squirted a small dollop of shampoo onto the palm of her hand from the bottle. Chloe didn't even flinch; instead, she merely gazed down at Max, her laser beam eye contact intensely connecting with Max.

The blue-haired girl began rubbing the shampoo across her hands. She brought her lathered hands from the top of Max's head, gently rubbing as she dragged it out to the tips of her hair. She was gentle, so as to wash out the dry blue remnants but simultaneously being careful so as to prevent the dye from fading out immediately from too much rubbing.

Max found the sensation of Chloe fingering through her hair quite calming. She began to relax and allowed her eyes to droop to a half-lidded gaze. After a few moments, Max was convinced that Chloe's intentions were merely to get clean. As much as she wanted Chloe, she probably didn't have to worry about being an inexperienced noob and embarrassing herself with the blue-haired girl in the shower.

Once she was done, Chloe smoothly stepped back and pulled Max right underneath the shower head to rinse her out.

Next, Chloe set aside the shampoo and grabbed the half-empty bottle of body wash from Max's bag. Chloe looked at the bottle and leaned in to place a brief kiss on the tip of Max's nose. "Vanilla-scented shower gel, Caulfield? Damn, this is the expensive stuff."

Max smiled and replied, "Yeah, mom sent it over as a care package for my birthday."

"Mm," Chloe said as she smelled the soap. "I remember your madre being into that kind of stuff."

Max giggled. "She's still like that. Very 'hashtag-treat-yo-self'."

The girls chuckled quietly in their own little world as they reminisced about slivers of their childhood. Chloe poured some of the soap into the palm of her hand and quickly rubbed it over her body, rubbing the soap from her shoulder blades and up her neck. She then brought her hands over her boobs, her soapy hands dragging upwards and her perky nipples peeking through the gap between her middle and ring finger. Chloe watched Max as she watched _her_ and smiled.

The blue-haired girl then brought her hands to Max's arms, lathering her in the soap from her body. She began cleaning her girl, feeling every bend and curve of Max's body. Max let out a relaxed exhale as she watched Chloe.

 _Her hands feel so … so nice on me._

 _Chloe is so beautiful._

Chloe was taking care of her and Max loved every bit of it. Chloe knew that Max was stressed; certainly, knowing the burden of having her power and foreseeing what tomorrow brings was more than enough for Chloe to let her take over and clean her girlfriend. Still, as much as Chloe tried to concentrate on washing Max, she couldn't help but getting distracted herself.

When they hooked up the night before when Max had come over after their argument in the truck, Chloe never had the chance to trail along Max's _entire_ body like this. Her hands were exploring every inch of Max's body. It was warm and wet and the sensation was screwing with Chloe's mind, hazing her thought process, clouding her judgement.

And she was so, _so_ aware. Her fingertips were burning as they trailed down the smooth skin of Max's ribcage and lower abdomen.

With every soapy touch, the feeling of wet skin on wet skin triggered memories of when they snuck into the pool a few nights ago.

Just when Max thought that Chloe was merely cleaning her innocently, she felt Chloe put her hands on her shoulders. Max widened her half-lidded eyes, nervously craving what may come next. Chloe gently dragged her soapy hands down the length of Max's arms. When she reached her wrists, Chloe took hold of them in a somewhat tight grasp.

 _Wrists. Chloe's room. Last night. Oh my god. Can't move. Pinned up._

 _Holy fuck._

Chloe's grasp triggered Max's thoughts, causing snippets of thoughts from their sleepover last night to rapidly flash across her mind.

Without a word, Chloe brought Max's soapy hands to her chest, placing her slick hands on each of her breasts.

 _Ahhh!_ , Max thought to herself as she began to freak out, the zap of adrenaline racing through her lower core.

But, _oh_ , she wanted Chloe, too. She nervously squeezed her hands and pushed up Chloe's firm boobs while the foam slipped down and around her wet hands. Chloe grabbed Max by the hips and pulled her close in one rough move, causing Max to stumble up close against the front of Chloe.

 _Oh man …_

Max could feel how her naked thighs and the front of her lower stomach were pressing up against Chloe's.

Chloe leaned her head down to level with Max and drew her into a series of kisses. Although Max was pretty inexperienced, she was a girl and Chloe was a girl – so she started doing what usually felt good for her. Max continued squeezing Chloe's breasts while Chloe kissed her unhurriedly. Chloe then playfully ran the tip of her tongue along Max's upper lip. She kept her one hand on Max's hip to keep her pressed up against her and she rested her other hand on the length of Max's neck. As they continued kissing, Chloe gently bit Max's bottom lip, to which Max rewarded her with a quiet "Mm."

Chloe gently pulled away and deviously said, "You see what you missed when you went to Seattle, Caulfield?"

 _Hah. Cute._

Max jokingly snipped back, "Yeah, I missed a giant _smartass_ , Pri –"

Before Max could continue, Chloe placed a long, deep kiss on the brunette's lips, making Max forget her thought process. As Chloe pulled away, Max watched a sly smile form on her lips.

 _Her lips really turn me the hell on,_ Max thought to herself as she licked her lips. She felt the wet warmth pulsing from the areas on her body that were touching Chloe. Her lower tummy up against Chloe's toned abdomen. The front of their thighs. They were so close to each other and the more Chloe kissed Max, the more it made Max want Chloe to trace her hands closer to her most sensitive spots.

Chloe trailed her kisses from Max's swelling mouth down to the concealed area on her neck underneath her ear. Max tilted her head upwards, letting herself get lost in Chloe and the shower's water hitting her body. Chloe moved Max's wet strands of hair away as she snuck her mouth deeper into her neck, leaving rough kisses which were followed by light nibbles and sucks. They gave rise to tiny lightning bolts flashing and shattering through Max's body.

She knew she wouldn't be able to last through the night without more.

 _Oh god. I am looking forward to it …_

As Chloe placed a few additions to her already-fading hickey collection, Max became more and more breathy, her eyelids fluttering as the water poured over them. With her last hickey, Chloe nibbled a little rougher, a little harder. The pinch surprisingly felt so, _so_ good to Max. She felt it all the way in her lower back. She arched her back, causing her stomach to thrust up against Chloe even more. As if it was an instinct, Max shoved her hand in Chloe's messy, blue hair. Chloe pulled away from the brunette's neck and gave Max a greedy smile.

 _Oh my god. Her fingers are making their way … all over me._

 _Up my stomach._

 _Up my …_

 _Oh my go –_

"Mmhnn," Max let out. Chloe's hands made their way up Max's chest and her fingers pinched her nipples, making Max moan.

Chloe smirked. "Damn. You like this, huh Caulfield?"

A moan is the answer when her hands moved to the brunette's back and her fingertips scratched along Max's lower back.

Max let her free hand explore up the centre of Chloe's core – wet fingers tracing the space underneath her breasts, allowing herself to grab Chloe's mounds in her hand, the hard perkiness of her nipples on the centre of her palm.

With her other hand, she tightened her grip in Chloe's wet, blue hair.

 _Oh …_

 _Last night she kept pinning my wrists down from touching her …_

 _Chloe's actually letting me this time … ?_

Max eyed the beautiful girl in her hands. Chloe looked vulnerable in the best kind of way; her blue eyes were electric, as if Max had her at her most intimate moment. Max wanted more. She wanted tongues, she wanted dizziness, she wanted pulsing. She wanted Chloe to whisper her name.

With her hand in Chloe's hair, Max pulled the blue-haired girl in, gently bringing her lips to Chloe's. As Chloe was taller, Max pushed herself up on her feet. The movement caused her pelvis to grind up against Chloe. Max was so aware – aware that it was very near the sweetest and most tender part of her body, and aware that she really couldn't help herself. Confusion and inexperience or not.

Max began tugging at Chloe's hair, pulling her deeper in her gentle kiss with every pull. Their kiss got heavier when Chloe became breathy. Max could feel it against her lips. Chloe's warm, wet breath on her mouth. Chloe was overwhelming Max. Max's desire for more convinced her to use Chloe's breathy, parted pout as an entrance – she grinded her wet, lower core up against the girl and tugged Chloe's hair into another deep kiss, this time slipping her tongue in.

Chloe's body immediately responded with a quick, sharp moan escaping her mouth. It was short, but loud enough to echo off the tiles of the bathroom walls.

 _Oh .. my …_

 _Me._

 _Oh fuck, I'm doing this to her._

The sound of Chloe's moan on her lips was exactly what Max wanted. It turned her on to the point where she found a soft moan escaping her own lips too.

In the back of their mind, both girls were praying that no one would walk in on them. The riskiness added to the moment, leaving both girls with an intense hunger. If anyone else were to walk into the bathroom, they would hear a mixture of water running, echoed moans, and the intimate giggles of the two girls.

Chloe didn't want to push Max too far, but when her curious hands worked their way up to Max's chest, she didn't really stop them.

 _More, Chlo …_

Chloe took Max's small, perky boobs in her hands and began circling and tugging at her hardened nipples.

"Mhnnn." Max rewarded Chloe with a soft moan.

 _I feel her smirk against my lips_ , Max thought. She was so ready. She knew that it would only take Chloe a short time to push her over the edge. And she really wanted Chloe to do just that.

Max, so innocently eager and wanting, slowly brought her hand to Chloe's waist and began tracing her hand down her wet stomach.

Down her firm abdomen, past her belly button, to her lower stomach …

 _I want to feel her around my fingers …_

 _Almost …_

Max's curious hand had nearly reached the thin, light hair on the top of the older girl's nethers, when she felt Chloe grab her wrist roughly.

Max broke the kiss and gazed at Chloe, trying to read the bluenette and figure out what she did wrong. Chloe didn't let go; her wrists were bound by Chloe's rough grip.

 _Wha? Pleasee._

"I want too, Chloe," Max whispered in mid-thought, frustrated at not being allowed to touch the blue-haired girl.

Chloe smirked.

"Damn, Max. Why don't we take this back to your room?" Chloe said in a breathy voice. Max felt the curl in her lower stomach stir and she nodded obediently.

With one simple movement, Chloe leaned in and gave Max a short kiss before reaching over to turn the shower knob off.

The hot beads of water diminished down her body until they eventually came to a stop. Max felt the chill of the cool bathroom air and reality trickled back into her mind. She grabbed her arm with her hand and looked down, her arm shyly covering her bare, wet chest.

Chloe brought her face in with wide, electric eyes and whispered, "Get dressed, babe."

 _Here? With … with Chloe?_

"Uhh …" Max began.

Upon realizing her girl's nervousness, Chloe giggled and offered, "Dude, I can go in the second stall. I threw my clothes in there anyway but, hey, can I borrow onea your towels, Max?"

"Um, y-yeah. For sure," Max said as she grabbed one of the white towels and handed it to Chloe. She grabbed the other towel and wrapped it around her core as Chloe stepped out of their shared stall buck-naked, sans any shame, obviously.

As Max heard Chloe get in the stall beside her, she closed the shower curtain shut and started gathering her shampoo and body wash back into her shower bag.

 _Will she let me … when we go back to my dorm? Damn you, Chlo! I want to touch you so damn bad._

Max thought to herself as she began drying herself off, running the towel along her arms, back and legs. She brought the towel along her inner thighs and began rubbing it upwards.

 _Huh?_

 _What is that?_

Max noticed a smooth, clear liquid dragging along her towel. It was dripping down her thighs.

… _Damn._

She rubbed the towel along her inner thighs, wiping it along her slick wetness, shivering as it roughly dragged along her sensitive centre.

 _That is definitely not shower water._

 _Oh, Chlo. Can't you see what you do to my body?_

In the stall next to her, she heard a soft hum from Chloe as the blue-haired girl toweled off and got dressed.

Abruptly, Max heard a quick thud from the stall. "Ouff," Chloe exclaimed.

"Chloe?" Max inquired.

"Fuck this pant leg! And fuck this stall!" Chloe muttered to herself, which was followed by a melody of chuckles.

Max responded with a laugh once she imagined Chloe tripping on her clothes and stumbling into the stall beside her. She then joined the blue-haired girl in getting dressed. She rapidly clasped on her grey bra and slipped on her pale blue undies, followed by her knee-high stockings. She lastly dragged the loose, grey dress overtop her head and pulled it down her core.

Her hair was still wet. Although it was short and light, it still took a while to dry, so she wrapped the white towel around her hair turban-style and tucked away the brown strands of escaping hair. Max lastly grabbed the damp body towel and the bag of shower supplies and got out of the shower stall. She stood outside Chloe's stall, eyeing her silhouette. It looked like she was tucking her wet, blue hair underneath her beanie and getting ready to come out.

"You good, Price?" Max asked. Chloe drew open the stall curtain, stepped out, and smirked towards Max as a response. The two girls shut the bathroom light and ran out of the steamed-up bathroom. Inbetween anxious giggles, they ran down the hallway to Max's dorm.

* * *

Max gently pressed on her dorm door until she heard the 'click' of its shutting. She turned around and rested her back against the door, letting out a small exhale. They snuck out and they made it. They actually made it.

 _And we didn't even wake anyone up!_

It was risky, but it was worth it.

"So worth it," Max heard herself say out loud.

Chloe was somewhere in front of her; she could hear the giddy giggles of the bluenette. It was dark in her room and she wasn't about to turn on the main overhead light – the bright light would most likely bring attention and screw them over. It was now a little past midnight and she did not want to push her luck. She felt her way along the right wall until she felt herself finger a small power cord. She followed the cord until she reached the power strip and flicked it on. Small light dimly illuminated the room from the small paper lanterns hanging along her wall.

 _There._

"Ouu, Max. This is pretty fucking sweet. Freakin' disgustingly hipster, but I like the getup," Chloe said while admiring the paper lanterns above the brunette's bed.

Max got a rush of exhilaration. They had made it and they were both here and holy shit she had blue in her hair.

Max walked over to her closet and set aside her shower stuff. She removed the towel off her head and walked over to the mirror, running her hand through her damp hair.

When Chloe heard only silence, she turned around to find Max standing in front of her mirror eyeing her reflection with her mouth slightly ajar.

"Dude, you gotta blow dry it to see the final colour! Now it looks screwy and kinda dark blue."

Max blinked and turned towards Chloe. "Actually, I have a mini blow dryer around here somewhere." She walked back to her closet and rummaged through the drawers. "Hold on … there." Max pulled out a tiny white blow dryer and walked over to the mirror. She plugged it into the outlet beside her bed and started blow drying her hair. Luckily, the hair dryer was old and pretty muffled, so anyone outside her dorm would probably only hear a low hum. Chloe grabbed a comb off the closet shelf and started brushing through her girlfriend's hair while Max shook the hair dryer around her short, wispy hair.

A few short minutes passed and Max turned off the hair dryer.

Chloe looked at Max in the mirror.

"Epic," Chloe finally said with a beaming smile on her face. The brunette, who was now a mostly-brunette-with-blue-streaks, looked at herself.

 _Woah_ , Max thought to herself as she tilted her head upwards to examine the blue hiding in her hair. It turned out exactly how Chloe described it; one blue streak ran down the front of her right side, framing her face and one ran underneath her layers of hair on her left side.

 _The same butterfly-blue …_

 _Like Chloe._

Max smiled at her reflection.

 _One on the top for the time I was with Chlo in Arcadia Bay and one hidden on the bottom for when I was in Seattle but still_ here _with Chloe in other ways._

Max glanced up at Chloe, who was beaming.

 _Chloe is so cute. Romantic as heck._

The blue streaks were small and not overly wild, but to Max they seemed like a pretty big deal. She thought about how they made her look kind of badass and how her parents might freak and despite it all, she loved it.

"Sosososososo?!" Chloe hyped up. She was pretty much bouncing off the walls with excitement behind Max. She definitely loved her work and she was proud of Max for going through with it. Above all, Chloe thought Max was damn cute with blue in her hair. "Do you like it, Caulfield?!"

Max turned around and faced Chloe. Max smiled and genuinely said, "Dude, thank you."

"Yes! Told you it would look so hella fucking rad, Max! Chloe: 1, Max: 0."

 _Yeah … Chloe the Smartass: 1 and Max the Humble: 0._

"Pfft, shut up, Price. I only did it so I wouldn't break your little asshole heart. You should actually thank me," Max playfully rebutted.

"Ha! Yeah roitttt, Caulfield. You and your scardy little self can kiss my ass," Chloe said.

Max broke into a fit of giggles as she grabbed Chloe by the cheeks and drew her in for a small peck. "Maybe later tonight, Price … If you ask nicely."

Chloe scrunched her face up. "Uh, ew. You wish, strange one." Max replied by teasingly sticking out her tongue in revenge.

Although the alcohol they had drank earlier that night was wearing off, it was pretty late at night and they were excited to be in each other's presence.

Max flipped her newly-dyed hair over her shoulder with one hand, and then flipped it over her other shoulder with her other hand, receiving a series of giggles from the older girl in front of her.

"You look fabulous," Chloe said, smiling.

Max shut her eyes, tilted her chin up and whispered, "That's because _I am_."

The girls simultaneously burst into laughter before remembering to keep it down.

Max walked over to her desk and bent over, reaching into her book bag.

 _I want to remember this._

"What's up, Max?" Chloe asked.

Max dug through her bag until finally pulling out her polaroid camera. "Selfie?" Max offered, holding the camera in her one hand.

"Unnf, sure." Chloe hopped over to Max and grabbed her in a snug hug from behind, sticking her head out on top of Max's shoulder.

Max raised the camera a bit higher than the girls and turned it towards themselves. Max ran her fingers through her hair one last time and proceeded to take the picture, the flash leaving both girls blinking.

The camera began to eject the shot. Max placed it on her desk and watched it develop.

 _There._

Pale skin. Blue hair. Goofy smirk. Excited eyes. Freckles. Wispy brown bangs.

The polaroid slowly began transitioning from a blurry, white canvas to a photo of the two girls. A moment now gone forever, except for this photo.

Chloe nudged Max with her elbow gently. "Tag me in it if you post it on Facebook."

Max let out a short laugh. "I can't tag you in polaroid shots – can't upload them, you loser. But if I could, I would upload them on Facebook and tag you as a 'butthead'."

Chloe arched her eyebrow. "Hey. It's the 'butthead _who did your hair_ '. God, Max. Respect your damn elders."

Max giggled and grabbed onto her arm with her hand. "Hah. So there, Price. Your surprise for me was hair dye? Done. Is that all you got?" Max teased.

"Huh?" Chloe raised her one eyebrow in that painfully cute way of hers.

A crafty smile grew on Max's face. "Don't worry, Chlo. I can handle your surprises."

"Surprise? OH YEAH THE SURPRISE!" Chloe rushed down to the floor near the backpack that she had left open with the realization.

"Wha? What's up?" Max asked. This time, she was actually confused.

From the floor, the blue-haired girl said, "Uh, that wasn't my surprise, Caulfield."

 _What._

 _Oh god._

 _I thought …_

Max eyed the older girl.

 _Okay._

 _So then what is it?_

Max hesitantly rocked on the heels of her foot. Max had thought that she emptied Chloe's small backpack when she pulled out the drinks and the hair dye supplies.

 _Such bullshit, Chloe! She actually talked me into doing all of that stuff! Gah!_

 _Not that I regret any of it … but still – wowzers!_

Max watched Chloe reach the tiny zipper from the backpack's front pocket.

"Ah ha!" Chloe said as she pulled out something shiny and quickly stashed it behind her back. Max watched Chloe rise to her feet and come towards her, the 'surprise' still hidden behind her back.

"Don't even try, Chloe!" Although Max was giddy to find out what it was, she had enough wild impulses that night. "The answer is already 'no'! I swear to dog, Price, if you ask me to –"

"BAM!" Chloe exclaimed as she rocketed the shiny surprise from behind her back and in Max's face.

Max blinked and took a step back before she focused her eyes on what Chloe was holding.

The shape slowly formed in front of Max; it was a shiny, circular disc. The drawn black and blue checkered pattern. The slight smudges.

 _AWH!_

"A MIX CD?" Max beamed, her face brightening as she took hold of the CD in her hands.

A wide grin spread on Chloe's face. "Hell yes!"

Max rotated the CD in her hands, looking at her reflection in its surface. "Chloe, you are. So. Disgustingly. Adorable."

Chloe laughed, "I try, I try."

Max was still amazed by the mix CD, hypnotized by the nostalgia that hit her. "Remember our mixed CD collections, Chlo? We used to do this shit all the time!"

Chloe smiled and scoffed, "Yeah, back when we had embarrassing taste in music."

Max looked up at Chloe with a joking smile on her face. "The boy bands … shudder …"

Chloe scrunched up her nose. "Ugh, don't remind me. Those were dark days."

"Psh, those were the best days."

Max looked back down at the CD. She opened the thin, plastic case and closely looked at the CD's title.

Max and Chloe's Soundtrack to the End of the World: Acoustic Hipstershit Vs. Badass Metalwhore

Max let out a gentle laugh and looked up at Chloe. "Why does this not surprise me, Price?"

"Thought you'd like it," Chloe replied, "Pretty accurate."

Max turned her eyes from the shiny surface of the CD and glanced at the tiny paper tucked behind the CD. Pulling it out, Max skimmed the track list:

1) Smokahontas by Attack Attack!

2) Dragonfly by M. Craft

3) Second and Sebring by Of Mice & Men

4) Esmeralda by Ben Howard

5) Dead Walker Texas Ranger by Sleeping with Sirens

6) Look at This by Fismoll

7) Dear Insanity by Asking Alexandria

8) Falling by The Civil Wars

9) Empire (Let Them Sing) by Bring Me The Horizon

10) Lover I Don't Have To Love by Bright Eyes

11) Repeating Apologies by Of Mice & Men

12) Toxic by Melanie Martinez

13) Gravedigger by Architects

14) Do I Wanna Know by the Arctic Monkeys

15) Voices by Crown the Empire

16) Pink Bullets by the Shins

17) I Don't Care If You're Contagious by Pierce The Veil

18) Run by Daughter

19) Such Small Hands by La Dispute

20) Sea of Love by Cat Power

 _Oh my gosh, Chloe is so freaking awesome. So. Freaking. Awesome._

Max glanced back up at Chloe, to find the blue-haired girl staring right back at her. "Wowzers, Chloe. This is pretty amazing." Max smiled. "Thank you."

Chloe's electric eyes laser beamed Max's. "No problemo, babe. Half of tracks are the mellow indie crap you listen to, and the other half are moshing metal shit I listen to."

Max smiled back as she clutched onto Chloe's gift. "Best of both worlds. I love it."

Max turned her attention to the small shelf near her bed. Making her way over, she turned on the Hi-Fi stereo and inserted the CD Chloe gave her. She turned the volume knob way down, for fear that the music would wake people up if they weren't discrete.

After hearing a few seconds of low static, the first song began to play.

The fast beat began which was followed by metal guitar chords. The lyrics surrounded the girls:

 _... Trapped in reality ... that shouldn't be ... show me the way ... be my escape ..._

Max started nodding her head and thought to herself, _Hardcore … just like Chloe._

 _Pretty catchy though._

The metalcore song flowed out and filled the soft air around them, filling the space between them. Before Max knew it, she was bobbing her head up and down as she felt the beat. Although the Hi-Fi was turned down pretty low, her dorm was quiet otherwise so she could hear the song clearly. Chloe noticed Max digging the first track. She walked over to her and grabbed the brunette's arms, pulling them outwards and waving them to the beat. This received a drawn out giggle from Max as she joined in. Soon enough, the song reached the chorus and both girls completely let loose. Chloe grabbed Max close to her as the two danced. The brunette didn't really know how to dance to this type of music, but …

 _Oh, what the hell._

After a few minutes, Max began really feeling the music. And so she felt her body let loose around Chloe. She moved her hands and hips in small, rapid movements along to the beat. Chloe tilted her head backwards and closed her eyes as she bobbed her head to the guitar riffs. By the time the song was coming to an end, Chloe noticed Max flipping her hair to the side over and over, the blue streaks cute and visible.

Chloe let out a small chuckle once the band began playing their last few notes. "Woah, Max. Better stop before you start thrashing the place."

Max drew her gaze up at Chloe and saw her staring right at her. "You're insane, Chloe!"

Chloe flashed her famous smirk and replied, "Fuck yes, Max! You hella know it!" Chloe leaned in and brought her lips to the shorter girl in front of her, giving Max a quick, firm kiss.

The first song eventually came to an end. After a soft click, the next song slowly cascaded from the Hi-Fi.

The soft acoustic chords began playing. The clear, mellow guitar strings shimmered as the lead began to sing.

As if it were sweet molasses, the acoustic song hushed the rocking energy from the previous song and surrounded the girls in an intimate calmness.

 _... And the time just passes by ..._ The singer softly sang.

 _Wow, I love this song._

The song played on, the strings of the guitar drawing them closer and closer together. The lyrics of the song swam around them. With each gentle sway, Max brought herself in front of Chloe. She watched the blue-haired girl take off her beanie and rock her head back and forth gently to the acoustic beat. Her short blue hair moved freely from side to side and Chloe re-adjusted her beanie again. Max couldn't help but watch Chloe's shoulders gently sway from side to side. Her thin, ripped-up tank top exposed the curve of her cleavage in a painfully sweet way – showing enough to spark Max's tinder cravings.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Max found herself dragging her eyes to meet Chloe's. The eyes that stared back at her were intense. Sharp blue, yet electric with a touch of mischief.

 _Holyy crap, Max. I want to get lost in her._

So she did just that.

Max reached up to Chloe, her burning fingers making their way to Chloe's waist. Each one of her fingertips was tingling with heat. She could feel the punk's slender figure underneath her thin band tank top.

A slow, subtle smirk grazed Chloe's lips. She gently grabbed Max's hands by the wrists and pulled them off her waist.

With Max's wrists in her hands, Chloe leaned over towards the door. With the flick of her finger, she locked the door and said these simple words:

"I think it's time to play."

Chloe slightly tilted her chin and smiled down at her girlfriend. In one swift movement, she brought the brunette's wrists around Max and tightened her grip.

 _Holy shitttt, Chloe._

Max wanted to reach out and touch Chloe so badly. But she couldn't, as her hands were bound behind her back. Max tilted her head upwards to Chloe and Chloe instantly brought her lips onto Max's.

Her kiss was overwhelming. Overwhelmingly hot and overwhelmingly sweet. Her lips were soft, but her kiss was hard.

Chloe leaned into Max, her body pressed up against the brunette's. Max didn't try to resist. Chloe pushed up on her. The heat of them both was clouding her mind.

With every deep kiss, Chloe leaned into Max. Chloe's lips parted Max's and Max reminded herself to breathe.

For some reason, she couldn't remember how.

She lost herself in Chloe then. When the blue-haired girl slipped her tongue in, Max let out a soft "Mm."

Chloe's arms around her made her lose focus. Her arms were holding her as if in an embrace, except they were reaching back to bind her hands behind her back. In a soft movement, Chloe transferred both of Max's wrists into one hand. Inbetween kisses, she brought her free hand back around to Max's face. Max instinctively turned her face towards Chloe's hand, trying to touch Chloe as much as she could. The taller girl moved down, leaving a trail of kisses along Max's jawbone – all the way down to her ear. She made her way back to Max's warm mouth and continued kissing the brunette.

 _I want to … mmm … touch …_

Chloe's mouth nibbling and kissing hers left her breathy and heavy. When Chloe pulled back slightly, breaking their kiss, Max took her all in. The friction had left Chloe's ripped tank top showing more than before. Max eyed her girlfriend needily. Not too busty, but bustier than her. So perfect and full.

She wanted to take her tank top off. She urged her hands out of Chloe's grasp, failing. Chloe only smirked.

 _Pleasee, Chlo._

She couldn't though; Chloe wouldn't let her.

So Max did the next best thing. Max let her body take over. She wanted Chloe so badly. She began pushing herself up against Chloe, allowing her body to slightly grind up against hers. It was all she could do. She was already turned on from their shower. She was wet still, and wet some more.

Max whispered, "Ch-Chloee," followed by a soft, "Ahhnnm."

Chloe's eyes slowly opened, her long eyelashes revealing her hot stare.

 _My hands?_

Max then felt Chloe gently release her arms behind her back. With one wrist in each hand, Chloe pulled Max's hands back to her sides.

Chloe took a step back, her bedroom eyes flashing, and said, "Max, strip for me."

 _... Strip?_

 _... Wowzers, Chlo._

Max was left there standing. Chloe's piercing eyes were on her, heating her up. Her mouth was slightly open, as if she began to say something. When nothing came to her mind, she closed it shut again. She stared back at Chloe innocently and bit her bottom lip, which was now puffy from Chloe's kisses.

After a few moments, she finally responded. Max simply asked, "What should I take off first?"

Chloe predatorily smirked and slyly said, "Your insecurities." With one hand, she tugged at her beanie and winked at Max in that teasingly sexy way of hers.

Max stared back with her wide doe eyes. Insecurities were something she knew quite well. Shyness and self-consciousness braided each other's hair. They often asked Max to join in. Now was one of those times.

Max grabbed her arm by her elbow; she didn't know what to say. The distance was unbearable and she wanted Chloe there beside her. Beside her, on her, in her.

She dared not look away from Chloe. With slow, nervous movements, Max reached down and grabbed a handful of her loose, grey, dress.

She didn't dare break their eye contact. She tugged it upwards, lifting it over and above her head – only breaking their intense stare when it covered her face. She exhaled and let it drop to the floor beside her bed.

Chloe's smirk widened and her eyes squinted. She looked Max up and down. Max's black knee-high stockings were messing with Chloe's mind. She eyed Max's cute bra – the white lace trim along the side framing her small, perky breasts. She slowly trailed her eyes down her tiny wrist, all the way down to her light blue undies with clouds on them. Chloe thought they were so freaking cute.

 _Oh mann … she's watching me._

 _Just get your bra off, Max._

Max unhurriedly brought her hands to unhook her bra clasp behind her back, but Chloe paced in front of her and pulled her hands away, stopping her.

Satisfied, Chloe leaned in and placed a series of sweet kisses on Max's warm mouth, massaging her tongue with her own.

The bare skin on Max's stomach, arms, legs and chest were all on Chloe, who was still fully clothed. Max pressed up against the rough material of her jeans, feeling the slight pleasure from the roughness. Chloe grazed one hand through Max's hair, curling and twisting her fingers along one of the blue strands. She ran her free hand along the bare skin along the brunette's bare waist.

Without breaking their kiss, Max found herself running her hands along Chloe – touching her hips and then making their way back to her ass. She grabbed at the firm skin and then ran her hands along the waistband of her jeans.

 _Wow, she's actually letting me_ , Max thought to herself, surprised that Chloe wasn't pulling her away.

Max didn't give it too much thought. She took the moment all in, enjoying every bit of her exploring. From Chloe's lower back, Max brought her hands up to the front of her jeans. Her nervous hands fumbled, but finally succeeded. She thumbed the button and tugged the zipper down.

Max softly pulled back, shoved her thumbs into the waistband of Chloe's jeans, and bent down, sliding the jeans off with her. The more she tugged, the more she revealed pale, long legs. Chloe watched her and kicked away her jeans when Max had reached the bottom.

Max knelt down and looked up at the beautiful girl above her. The brunette started feeling her way up Chloe's legs. Her hands palmed along the backside of Chloe's calves and then thighs, until she reached the curve of her ass. She gazed at the plain, black boxer shorts. They seemed old and faded.

 _Very Chloe._

She wanted them off.

Chloe observed Max feel her long legs. Max was still kneeling underneath her, and Chloe thought the view was overwhelmingly hot. The curve of her backside, Max in merely a bra and undies, black knee-high socks. It was driving her insane. It took a lot of self-control to not have her right then and there.

Still kneeling, Max's hands made their way up the side of Chloe's legs. As she palmed her hips, the warmth of her hands penetrated Chloe overtop her faded boxer shorts.

 _I wonder if she'd let me …_

Max was just about to tug at them, but Chloe placed her hands on top of Max's. She pulled her hands upwards, urging Max to come up to her level again.

Max willingly obliged as she came back to an upright position.

Chloe began kissing Max again while running her blue nails gently along Max's back. Max likewise trailed her hands inbetween the two girls. Her hands grazed Chloe's lower abdomen, peeking her curious fingers underneath her old, ripped black and white band tank top. Her hands explored upwards until they reached her bra. She impatiently placed her hands on top of the bluenette's bra, cupping her mounds. She then shoved the tips of her fingers along the inside of her bra cups. She could feel the firm flesh of her breasts.

Chloe was loving it. She continued kissing Max a little harder and rougher. Max felt hot with the pressure of Chloe's body.

After a few long, drawn out minutes, Chloe's lips left Max's mouth and made their way to her collarbone. The taller girl's hands passed along Max's core and went to her behind. She roughly grabbed her girlfriend by the ass and pulled her closer, grinding their lower cores even more.

The song on the Hi-Fi changed and all Max could hear was the soothing chords and her and Chloe's heavy joint breaths. And before she knew it, warm, soft lips were pushing against hers again.

In their underwear, the two girls continued kissing beside Max's bed. For a moment, Chloe opened her eyes and looked past Max. The mirror was teasingly placed right in Chloe's view. Max was turned around and facing her. She saw her hands all over Max's back. Chloe could see the curves of Max's backside in the mirror – the way the brunette's small ass cheeks were peeking out from the bottom of her undies.

It was just too much.

Chloe pulled back and gently pushed Max backwards. Max stumbled onto the bed, scooting herself back to make room for the blue-haired girl. As Chloe stood at the edge of the bed in front of Max, she raised her tank top off her head, throwing it to the ground.

She watched as Max bit her bottom lip. She gave Max a smirk in return.

Slowly, she climbed onto the bed much like a minx would, getting Max to lean back onto her elbows.

 _Oh. My. God._

 _Chloe on top of me …_

 _Nothing but her bra and shorts …_

 _On me …_

Jagged thoughts flashed across Max's mind; the sight on top of her was too much in the most magnificently perfect way.

Chloe bent down and placed her pouty mouth over Max's. Max let out a soft moan, urging Chloe to give her more.

Their tongues intertwined and grew deeper and deeper.

 _Holyyy crapp …_

Without disconnecting their mouths, Max let herself lean down all the way on the bed. Max's small moans encouraged Chloe to get wetter and wetter, but all of a sudden, Max's returning kisses grew stiff.

Chloe slowly pulled back. "What's wrong, babe?" Chloe searched Max's eyes, worried she might have pushed her too far or too fast.

Max rubbed her lips together and let out a long breath, her chest falling with it.

A breathy Max eventually replied, "Chlo … these walls are paper thin for the most part. I – I need to shut the hell up and I don't think I can."

Chloe smiled. "Don't worry, Caulfield. I'll take it easy so we'll stay hella quiet."

Max gave a quick nod, her eyes never leaving Chloe's. Mischievously, Chloe brought one hand inbetween Max's thighs and stealthily dragged one slender finger along the centre of Max's panties.

"Ahhmm!" Max let out a loose moan. Immediately, Chloe leaned down to kiss Chloe, muffling out and silencing Max's moan.

Chloe removed her hand, pulled away from Max's mouth and burst into a melody of devious giggles.

 _I hate you._

 _Should have probably seen that coming, Max._

Max gave Chloe a quick death stare and jokingly said, "Chloe, I'll murder you."

Chloe's only response was a smirk and an arrogant, "Mhm, right, Caulfield."

Max made a mental note to try and keep herself quiet. She'd only allow a few soft moans, but that was it.

A promise she couldn't really keep.

Chloe bent her head lower above Max's face, her blue hair hanging out along the side of her face. Max watched her puffy lips and raised her head upwards in an attempt to bring her lips closer to Chloe's.

After a few teasing moments, Chloe finally continued where they left off – kisses and more kisses.

As Max laid on her back, her hands shot directly to Chloe's boobs, loving the way her curves perfectly fit her hands – much like a curved key fits a key lock.

The mixed CD Chloe made alternated from hardcore songs to acoustic songs in the background. No matter the song, the lyrics hazed the air around the girls, fogging up the atmosphere, leaving them in their own little world.

As Chloe felt Max's lips against her own, Chloe ran one hand along Max's outer thigh. She felt the bare skin running from the bottom of her underwear down to the top of her knee-high socks. As much as they turned Chloe on, she moved to the side of the bed and grabbed Max's legs. She urged Max to lift her legs up as Chloe tugged the knee-highs off – first one and then the other.

As she let them fall to the ground, Chloe got back on top of Max, straddling the brunette. This time, though, Chloe merely remained there. She let Max explore. Max's wide eyes taking her all in turned her on.

Max trailed her fingers up the blue-haired girl's toned stomach. She ran her fingers along the bottom of Chloe's bra – from the centre, making her way to the sides. Taking advantage of Chloe letting her do this, Max wanted to bring her fingers along the band of her bra until she reached the backside – to unhook it.

So she began doing just that.

Her fingertips burned as they touched the black material on her bra. She was eager. Her fingers continued slowly moving along Chloe's bra until her hands reached Chloe's sides. She palmed the sensitive skin near Chloe's underarms, about to brush her way to the back until …

 _Wait – what did I just …_

Max moved her hands back.

 _Is that …_

 _Oh god._

The bare skin near Chloe's bra was scattered with jagged lines.

Thin and raised.

 _Scars._

"… Chloe," Max began, "Why didn't you tell me?"

By the time Chloe realized what Max was feeling, it was too late.

"Fuck, Max" was all Chloe could spit out as she pursed her lips in a tight line.

 _The hell, Chloe?_

 _How did I not notice these before?_

A pained look grew on Max's face the more and more she ran her hands along the thin lines hidden in the crevice near her bra.

 _These aren't fresh – they're healed ..._

"Why ... didn't you tell me?" Max asked again.

 _Did I do this? I must have been a part of it._

 _Oh god, Max. You asshole. You weren't there for her._

Chloe exhaled. She wasn't frustrated or embarrassed – she was merely feeling stupid. She thought about how she should have told Max earlier, shouldn't have waited for her to find out on her own. She wanted Max to trust her – but how could she now, when she hid this huge thing away from her? Chloe remained calm, yet worried thoughts raced through her mind.

"Max. I'm sorry."

" _What_? No! No, Chloe. You have nothing to be sorry for," Max searched Chloe's eyes and repeated, "Nothing."

"It's just that … well, you know the whole fucked up story, Max, so I won't bore you again. It was just a hell of a shitty time."

Max soaked it all in. "Was?"

Chloe smiled. "Yeah. _Was_. It was a long time ago – like a few years. Pretty much that crappy short while right after you left and my dad …"

"I'm sorry," Max said thoughtfully.

"Don't be, babe," Chloe responded.

"Was it … Did you try to …" Max stuttered.

Chloe smiled. "No, Max. I did not try to kill myself. It was more of a 'Oh, your-life-is-crap-city-so-let's-try-to-feel-something- _other_ -than-shit' kind of thing."

 _Oh, Chloe._

 _I wasn't there for you._

Max didn't say anything, so Chloe went on. "Anyways, the side of my rib is pretty freakin' hidden. My arm and my bra covers it and shit." Chloe saw Max's face grow sad.

"Dude. Don't feel bad for me _or yourself_ , Mad Max. Seriously. I wanted to. I needed to, pretty much. I was at a rock concert a few years back when a song they played reminded me of my dad, so this chick found me crying on the dirty bathroom floor. She pulled out a razor and showed me how. She said how against my rib bones, it would feel so, _so_ good. Thin skin and all … And she was damn right, Max."

Max patiently listened to Chloe. She ran her fingertips over her scars. As if they were Braille, she tried to figure out what they said, tried to read the pain Chloe went through.

"Chloe, I once heard a quote that reminded me that broken isn't _bad_. Or else puzzles wouldn't sell."

Chloe smiled at Max. "I know. Now. I guess I just hardened my heart after everything. I used to sleep for days. Sleep, cry, sleep, fucking cry. Dream about being happy. Wake up and then cry because it was all gone. It was all bullshit teenage shit you kno–"

"I'll never leave you again, Chlo. I can't bring him back. But I can be here. Always," Max interrupted. She meant it. She would never leave. She's said it before, and she'll say it again. After Chloe went through all that crap, she would probably want to hear it again – over and over until it was real.

Chloe smiled. "I know."

In that small moment of Chloe being there, the music around them, so raw and beautiful, Max realized something she would always remember.

 _This girl means the world to me._

Max returned her smile and Chloe whispered one single word: "Babe."

Her voice was naughty. The word rested inbetween her pouty lips, urging Max to continue what she was doing.

Chloe took Max's hands in her own and raised them to her mouth. She placed a hot kiss on the inner palm of each hand and then placed them back on top where they previously were – on her bra. Max willingly obliged. This time, Max went all the way back and unhooked the bluenette's bra. Her firm, perky breasts spilled out.

 _Oh yess please._

Max impatiently cupped Chloe's breasts, pressing them up together and rolling her fingers along her hard nipples.

Chloe then leaned down fully along Max's body again and began kissing her hungrily.

 _Chloe's kisses are intense, just like her._

As Max continued palming at her breasts, the blue-haired girl used her free hand to trail her fingers along Max's bra, down her waist, and along her lower stomach. Chloe's touches felt warm – everywhere she touched gave rise to hot lava burning underneath her skin, slow honey pouring through her – warm, hot, sweet.

Her lower core in particular.

Max's skin grew warmer with every touch. A soft "Mmmnn" escaped her lips. Her skin started to flush when Chloe started moving downwards and nibbled on her hip bone. She moaned again, louder, when Chloe sucked at the sensitive spot until she left a mark. She felt bolts of lightning run through her body when Chloe placed her hot mouth on top of Max's panties. Her mouth was breathy and warm on top of her sensitive spot, with only a thin layer of her underwear between Chloe's mouth and herself. It was just too much – Max slightly jerked her hips towards Chloe.

Chloe brought her head up from inbetween Max's legs, one eyebrow raised and her smirk present. Thinking that Max was overly sensitive there, Chloe satisfyingly said, "Damn" before bringing herself back up to straddle Max.

Max raised her eyes and checked Chloe's thin frame out.

 _Holy crap. Times 100. Chloe on top of me … with only her underwear shorts and her beanieee …_

 _Holy crap._

Chloe made her way back to Max's mouth, pulling back ever so slightly. With a breathy voice, she whispered, "Max, sit up for a sec."

Max willingly did just that as she raised her core and leaned on her elbows.

While locking mouths again, Chloe carefully led her hands to Max's back and removed her grey bra with the white lace trim. It was cute, but it had to go.

Once off, Chloe got Max to lay back down again. Max was about to reach up and touch Chloe, but Chloe pinned her arms down along her body.

The blue-haired girl edged herself lower and lower, leaving a trail of kisses and bites along her neck, collar, and chest. She sucked along the sides of Max's breasts and scraped her nipples with her teeth, making her moan.

At the sound of Max's "Mmhh," Chloe climbed back up to massage Max's tongue with her own. Max squirmed with pleasure; she was able to squirm her hands away from Chloe's grasp. Chloe, who was distracted by Max's bare chest beneath her, let it pass. As Max pushed her mouth into Chloe, deepening their kiss more and more, Chloe leaned over top Max onto her forearms – her elbows beside Max's shoulders. When Max realized her hands were free, she brought one to her own boob, and brought the other to Chloe's stomach. As she rubbed her own breast with one hand, she tucked a few of her fingers in the waistband of Chloe's underwear with the other.

Max wanted to go further. Flip her hand, tuck it deep, run her hand through Chloe's hair, and slip her fingers inside of her. Instead, Chloe broke the kiss and headed down – back to Max's boobs. The bluenette scooted down slightly to suck over Max's breasts, causing Max's fingers to escape from the waistband of Chloe's underwear.

Max spread her legs open so Chloe would have room as she edged downwards. She needed more. Max wrapped her legs around Chloe's waist – her legs spread open, the heat from her undies rubbing Chloe's lower stomach. When Max tightened her legs around Chloe, causing her to grind her centre along Chloe, she let out another moan.

Max could feel her wetness pooling in her underwear.

"More Chlooo," Max whispered.

Chloe nibbled at her neck and softly said, "I know, baby, I know."

Chloe pushed herself even more and Max loosened her legs around Chloe. Chloe sat up and twinned Max's legs together. She grabbed her light blue cloud underwear and dragged them off as Max slightly raised her butt and legs in the air.

Chloe fully pulled them off and scrunched them up in her hand. When Chloe felt the slick wetness on them and smirked, Max didn't deny it. Her arousal was dripping down her thighs and down her ass.

Chloe threw down her underwear and flopped back on top of Max, continuing to kiss her. She trailed her fingers down Max's bare chest, down her stomach, and finally reached the V of her thighs. She gently tugged at Max's hair and ran her fingers down her slit. Chloe then dipped one finger into her folds and felt Max hold back a moan against her lips; it turned her on crazily.

She pumped through Max's tightness a few times before taking her sole finger out. Chloe brought her hand to Max's, bringing it down to her folds with her. She gently whispered, "With me."

 _Does she ... does she want me to ...?_

 _Oh man._

Chloe bent Max's fingers until her middle finger laid out. With that, she got Max to put her own finger in herself. She put her one finger back inside Max, joining the brunette. She could not only feel Max's warmth on her finger, but she could feel Max's finger right there with her. And it turned Chloe on like crazy. It fucked with her mind.

Chloe continued kissing Max. She enjoyed the way Max's breathing got heavy and deep as they fingered her in sync.

After a few minutes, Max was getting close. Chloe could feel it. She pulled out her finger and tugged at the brunette's hand, too. She didn't want to push her over the edge. Not yet. She grabbed Max's wrist and brought her hand over to her mouth. She took Max's wet finger in her mouth, licking the brunette's finger slowly. Her finger tingled with the feel of Chloe's tongue.

As she looked down at Max, Chloe made her way back to Max and slid her finger inside of her again.

 _Fuck, Chloe just ... inside of me ... oh god._

 _And now she's putting in a second finger and ... is curling them deep inside me and God itfeelsogood ..._

As Chloe leaned down and kissed Max, Max could hear the hard rock in the background belting from her Hi-Fi. Max could taste herself on Chloe's lips.

With every pump and curl, Chloe gently thrust against Max. Her movements matched the music and Max thought that Chloe purposefully made her a sex music CD. She won't be able to listen to these songs any longer without feeling the taste of Chloe on her lips. As Chloe leaned above Max, her perky boobs fell onto Max's bare chest. Chloe's hard nipples grazed overtop of Max's breasts with every grind. Max took hold on one of Chloe's fleshy mound and pushed upwards, loving the way her bullet necklace fell around her full grip.

Chloe continued curling her fingers deep within the crevice between Max's thighs. With every pump, a few drops of wetness would drip out and down Chloe's hand.

Max embraced the curl deep within her body as she felt herself getting the urge to twitch and tremble. She tried her hardest to not jerk her body around, trying to prolong the absolutely perfect feeling of Chloe in her.

Max bit her lip as an expression of heated pleasure grew on her face. Chloe noticed her expression. She knew she was really close. Chloe slowed down her fingers to an unhurried stop. She smirked.

Max's half-lidded eyes opened as she saw Chloe looking at her strangely. "What?" Max asked.

Chloe continued staring. "You know what."

"What, Price?"

After a few short moments, Chloe finally said, "You love me."

When Max's eyes widened, Chloe's sly smirk grew on her face.

Max was slightly taken aback; Chloe called her out and she knew it was true. Max searched Chloe's eyes for a while until she finally responded. Max softly whispered, "I think I do ..."

Chloe smiled and all thoughts flew out of Max's head when she felt Chloe rub her clit and push her fingers inside of her.

"Chlo ... pleasee," Max panted, which was followed by a jolt. "Unnh!" The desire quickly curled deep in her belly.

 _Oh godddd!_

She clenched and she clenched, trying to hold back the moans, hold back the jolts within her. She tightened around Chloe's fingers until she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Chl-Chloee ... I'm going to –"

Chloe felt Max pulse around her fingers. Max's release came fast and hard, awarding Chloe with a deep moan. Max trembled and quivered underneath Chloe, her wetness dripping down her thighs as Chloe slowed down her pumps.

Chloe brought her hand from inside Max and rubbed along the brunette's inner thighs as she came down from her sex high with heavy pants and lightning quivers.

"Chloe ... Holy ... you made me ..." Max started, her eyes blurring in pleasure as she squeezed her thighs together.

Chloe smirked. "You're welcome."

A few moments went by. Max's panting breath simmered and her body finally started to calm.

 _Damn ... She is so amazing._

 _She deserves the same and more._

 _Your turn, Max. You got this._

 _I think._

The brunette gently pushed herself from underneath Chloe. As she brought herself to her knees in front of Chloe, she softly pushed the blue-haired girl onto the bed. It was her turn to lay down and enjoy. Max positioned herself over her. She slid one leg between Chloe's legs all the way up until she could feel Chloe grind up against her thigh.

Max leaned down over Chloe. She kissed her gently, palming Chloe's breasts in one hand and holding herself up with the other.

Chloe ran her hands up and down Max's bare back as Max trailed her anxious hand from Chloe's firm breasts up to her blue hair. She tugged gently, receiving a soft moan from Chloe. She liked it rough.

Max's warm mouth made its way to the crook of Chloe's neck. As she heard Chloe's breathing deepen, she nibbled harder and harder – making sure to leave a mark. Max could feel Chloe grinding herself up against the front of Max's thigh. Her own wetness was still dripping down her thighs and onto Chloe; a reminder of what Chloe did to her.

As Chloe was on her back, she brought her own hands to her faded black boxer briefs. She thumbed the ripped seams of her underwear, brought her legs together and started sliding them off. She scooted her butt upwards, dragged them to her ankles, and kicked them off. Once they were off, Chloe returned to how she was previously. She positioned herself inbetween Max's dripping thighs. In return, Max straddled Chloe. Fully naked. Skin on burning skin.

Max bent down to kiss the lust-filled girl laying down beneath her. This time, however, she did not lay flat on top of Chloe. Instead, she leaned her face in to kiss Chloe, raising her butt off of Chloe and lifting it in the air. With one hand, Chloe cupped Max's sensitive boobs and rolled her nipples. With her other hand, Chloe trailed her fingers down Max's body. She burrowed her hand between the brunette's wet thighs and ran her fingers along Max's wetness. With her fingers wet with Max's arousal, she brought her fingers down to her _own_ thighs, moving them downwards. She moved her hand deep within the V of her thighs and began touching herself, mixing her own wetness with Max's. She moaned.

Max watched her blue-haired girl. Pushing Chloe's hand aside, Max whispered, "I want to." Brushing her fingers aside, Max made her way along the inside of Chloe's thighs, curling her fingers through her thin, blonde hair.

With a sharp breath, Max grazed her fingers down Chloe's wet folds. As she slid her fingers down Chloe, she swirled the wetness upwards and circled around her swollen clit. Chloe let out a laboured whimper when Max first slid one finger inside of her and then one more.

"Fuck, Maxx~"

Max first began by pumping in and out slowly. But she was starting to understand how Chloe liked it. After a few minutes of slowly teasing Chloe, she went from slow to rough. With every pump of her fingers, Max pushed back in roughly, aggressively thrusting her fingers inside of Chloe. Harder and faster, harder and faster.

 _She likes this, she's squirming._

"Fuuck yess," Chloe breathed, her eyes half-closed. When Max pressed hard against her clit, Chloe didn't know what to grab. So with one extended arm, she grabbed a handful of her beanie, balling it in her fists from the pleasure.

 _She's close. Oh man, she's close._

Max slowed her fingers and pulled them out slowly, a shiny string of wetness dragging along her finger. A wetness she wanted to taste.

Max edged her body towards Chloe's lower half and stared at the blue-haired girl. "Chlo ... is it okay if I ... If I –"

With a quick push of the shoulders, Chloe needily nudged Max downwards towards her inner thighs.

 _Holy, Chloe. Say no more._

Max scooted herself down onto the length of the bed. As she positioned herself over Chloe, she pushed open Chloe's thighs.

Max sucked in her lips as she took it all in. Chloe gently intertwined her hand thought Max's hair.

When Max began sucking and nibbling the crevice of Chloe's deep inner thigh, Chloe let out a soft, "Maxx ..."

The brunette bit a little harder, sucked a little bit rougher. Underneath her eyelashes, Max watched Chloe palm her breasts, pushing them together around her bullet necklace.

Overtaken by lust, Max whispered, "Mmh ... that's it, Chlo ..."

With a gentle tug, Chloe pulled at Max's hair and brought her face closer to her core. Max trailed her fingers up and down; her fingers rubbed around Chloe's folds and spread her wetness. She took her time. She avoided sinking her fingers inside her. She wouldn't give Chloe the quick pleasure she so wanted. Not just yet. She wanted to drag it out for her.

Max ran her tongue from the bottom of the blue-haired girl's glistening slit all the way to the top. As she parted her mouth and placed her warm mouth on Chloe's hardened bud, she sucked. Hard. She flicked her tongue up and down rapidly as she sucked and nibbled, every now and then pressing her tongue down, causing pressure. Chloe tasted so, _so_ good.

When Max slid her two small fingers in, Chloe's moan was music to her ears.

 _Gahh, I love it when I get you like this, Chlo ..._

Max snuck a glimpse at the punk laid out in front of her. Her eyes were almost closed and her eyelashes were flickering. She was staring right back at her, dazed. With every pump of her fingers, Chloe let out a raw "Mhhhn."

Chloe's mind was racing. She tried to take it all in, feel everything at once. Smooth skin. Swollen lips. Wet fingers. Blue streaks, hidden deep in brown hair.

All hers. Max was all hers.

Max continued, wanting to bring Chloe over the edge.

Pump, suck.

Suck, nibble.

Curl, pump.

Chloe's eyes were closed in pleasure, pouting lips hanging open as Max teased the curl in her lower belly.

"Fuck Max, I'm closee."

The brunette loved sexing her up.

 _S_ , like the curves of her body.

 _e_ , one bent curve with a straight plunge inside.

 _x_ , as in x finds the spot. Chloe does Max, as Max does her. Symmetry.

When Max dug her tongue inside of Chloe and pressed her fingers against Chloe's clit in fast movements, the punk arched her hips into Max's mouth.

Chloe felt that white-hot burn unwind deep inside of her, exploding throughout her, fanning through her entire body.

Her moan was raw and loud; Max didn't dare hush her. Chloe's pulsing release in her mouth was all she could think about.

Chloe began spazzing, one hand grabbing the bed sheets around her and one gripping her beanie.

 _Wow, Chlo_ , Max thought to herself. Chloe got even wetter after she came, the wetness sticking inbetween Max's fingers as she removed them.

As Chloe's thighs twitched and her feet curled, Max made her way back beside Chloe.

She watched Chloe pant for a few moments. Chloe tilted her flushed face toward Max and smirked. "Damn, Max."

A pleased grin appeared on Max's face as she watched the bluenette come down from what Max did to her.

"Dude, you're the best. You know that, Caulfield? Fuck."

Max giggled. "You're kinda cool yourself, Price." Chloe curled her finger around Max's blue strands as Max went on. "Nighty? We have to be up kinda early tomorrow."

A familiar predatory smile formed on Chloe's lips. "What, you think I'm done? Cute, Max."

"Done? Wha –"

With a brisk movement, Chloe pushed down on Max and flipped herself overtop the brunette. As she straddled Max, Chloe featherly trailed her fingers all the way down along Max's arms. When she reached her wrists, Chloe roughly grabbed one in each hand and pressed down on them beside Max's body to once again restrict her movements.

Max let out a soft "Woah" as she locked her eyes onto Chloe's, searching them.

Chloe brought her face closely above Max's, bringing her lips near the brunette's until she finally said, "I didn't even get to go down on you, Max. Dude. You came on me too hella fast. Didn't even get to taste you." Chloe's electric eyes were wild.

 _But ... you already brought me there, Chlo._

"I ... I don't think I can," Max breathed.

Chloe smiled as she bent down and nibbled on Max's bottom lip, leaving a trail of kisses from her mouth, down the centre of her neck, inbetween her breasts, overtop her belly button.

When she reached the V inbetween the brunette's thighs, Max let out a sharp "Ahhh!"

"Holy fuck, Max. I got you so damn wet," Chloe said as she tongued along the bottom of Max's slit, lapping the dripping arousal on her tongue. Her mouth felt so warm and wet on Max. When she gently sucked on Max's clit and felt her pulse around her tongue, Chloe found _herself_ moaning.

Max's entire body tightened. The sensation of Chloe moaning on her centre was too much. Max shivered and her limbs jerked. Every single touch made her jolt. She was just too sensitive.

Chloe let go of one of Max's wrists and brought her hand over Max's belly. Her hand rested on Max's stomach to keep her from squirming and moving.

Chloe continued rubbing the brunette's clit. She could tell Max was already over the edge. Falling and trying to grasp on. She rubbed slowly and gently, determined to bring Max there again. This time, with her tongue. She sucked softly, mirroring the tongue movements she would do if she were to give Max a hickey – just a whole lot softer. The brunette's moans guided Chloe.

A few short glorious minutes passed. Max tried her hardest to hold on, but no matter how hard she tried, she could feel herself clenching.

The pulsing was uncontrollable. With a shuddering moan, Max's release came. For the second time that night. This time even faster and even stronger.

She wrapped her legs around Chloe's head as she came, but Chloe went on. She continued thrusting her tongue deep inside of Max as she pulsed around her tongue, causing Max to prolong her high.

 _Oh my – oh my – Chl ..._

"CHLOE! Stop, please," she eventually cried out. She could barely feel her arms and legs anymore, and everything down there was just so sensitive. When Chloe gave her clit a final kiss, he whole body jerked away from her.

Max panted as the last of the twitches took over her body.

 _That was ... incredible._

In the back of her mind, she could hear Chloe laugh. Chloe flopped back down beside Max and took her in a tight embrace from behind. Even her thighs rubbing against each other made her slightly twitch.

Chloe held her there as her tender body calmed after the storm. And a storm it was. Lightning bolts and all.

Max wanted to state her feelings to Chloe but she could only say, "Good night, Price."

But what she really meant was "I love you so fucking much, Chloe."

Chloe buried her face in the back of Max's messy hair, placing gentle kisses along the side of her neck. Although Max knew they had a long day tomorrow, Max's feeling for Chloe reincarnated – as in, no matter where she was or what she did, she will always feel this.

 _This feeling is real._

* * *

 **A/N: I crush on Chloe so hard.**

 **But FINALLY smut!** **Yeaah, so this is the dirtiest thing I've ever written. Dontnod Entertainment would blush. Then hire me.**

 **Just by the way, though: I am going to take this fanfic in a more plot-filled direction in the coming chapters.**

 **Also, if you haven't noticed, my chapters are long. xD #Sorrynotsorry**

 **OMG though. Episode 4. I died a little bit on the inside. The feels.**

 **One last thing! Shoutout to** _ **Ta'raysholan**_ **and** _ **Candle in the Night**_ **for letting me know what THEY love reading in smuts. AND shoutout to** _ **rowanred81**_ **for letting me know that he saw my fanfiction on Wattpad; someone plagiarized me and posted it without my permission. They have taken it down since, but PLEASE keep an eye out for me. I only publish here.**

 **Thank you all for your reads, fellow Pricefielders. See you in the next chapter! xo**


	6. Unraveling Part I

**Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault**

* * *

She lazily opened her eyes.

Everything was fuzzy … as if the world was drawn by a dull piece of charcoal.

 _So damn bright._

The bluenette squinted her deep blue eyes, trying to deny access to the sunlight that was prying her eyelashes open to get ready for the day ahead.

It was that time in the morning – the moment of inbetween. Within the seam of last night and their day ahead. Hazy and awake, but not quite ready to take on the world. That obscure, fuzzy moment without obligations and worries _just yet_ ; a world of her own with Max.

Chloe tried to savour this small, insignificant moment. It has been a long time since she's felt so … not alone. Though, however much she tried to stretch this sweet, brief instant, the sunlight was begging her to wake up.

 _Crap, Friday morning. Shit day ahead ..._

 _Must … pay Frank … try not to die in the process … get Max to the Vortex party later tonight …_

Chloe blinked.

 _Fuck everything. I don't wanna._

 _Fuck off, world!_

 _I wanna be in bed with Max all day._

She shut her eyes after attempting to adjust them to the sunlight pouring into Max's dorm. She let out a yawn and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She blinked again, remembering where she was and what she _did_ last night. With Max.

The older girl smirked sleepily.

 _How fucking delicious it is to wake up for the second morning in a row beside Max after being with her all damn night._

The sunlight was pouring in, bathing Chloe's pale skin, warming her body.

She lay there naked with her legs slightly entangled in the blankets.

With her eyes half-closed, Chloe began to recall every sweet moment from last night.

 _Fuckkk me._

 _Max was so hardcore._

She got a feathery feeling along her skin as she thought about it.

 _All wet for me._

 _Moaning for more._

 _Holy shit._

 _Dude, she did the same thing to you too._

 _Turns me the fuck on._

After a few blissful minutes, Chloe finally managed to fully open her eyes. She stretched the sleep from her, curling her toes and extending her legs.

 _Maxxx,_ Chloe thought to herself. With her head tilted towards the wall, Chloe lazily extended her arm beside her, patting the bed … only to find empty blankets.

She could hear soft scrummaging coming from the left.

 _What is she doing?_

Chloe tilted her head, allowing her messy blue hair to fall onto her face and around her eyes.

She was washed away by the view.

She saw her girlfriend sitting up on the edge of the bed with her bare back towards Chloe. Chloe thought she was putting on her underwear, or perhaps her knee-high stockings from last night.

The brunette's back was sprinkled with a few freckles in the cutest way. The curve of her back, the petite delicateness of her waist. Chloe watched as Max reached out and combed through her messy hair with her fingers, not knowing that Chloe was awake.

 _I can take pride in that sex-hair. That was all me, holy fuck, that was all me._

As she continued combing, Chloe trailed her eyes to her bare side. The side of her perky breast was deliciously visible.

 _Woah …_

But it was more than just the way she looked. It made Chloe feel like love was _familiar_. Something she could reach out and touch, reach out and feel.

 _Max doesn't know I'm up,_ Chloe thought to herself as she watched the unaware brunette start to bend over and put on her knee-high socks from last night.

Chloe nudged herself and rolled over entirely to face Max's lovely bare back. She edged herself up on her elbow. Of course, Chloe was fully naked and wholly and completely shameless.

The noise from her shuffling around in bed earned Max's attention. She turned her head gently, curious to see if her blue-haired girlfriend was awake.

Before the girls could even connect their gaze to each other, Chloe grinned and said, "Good morning, ya nerd."

Max gave Chloe a quick death stare, followed by a nervous smile. "… I love you too, Price."

 _Turning your head away, Max? I saw that blush. What is it Maxie? Shy that I'm all open and naked in front of you? I don't bite … really._

Chloe unfolded her elbow that was supporting her and let herself flop in bed again.

Max giggled. "Some _one_ 's not a morning person."

Chloe stared at her from the corner of her eyes and snorted, agreeing with Max in silence. She continued looking at Max as she slowly pulled up one long knee-high sock up her calf.

 _Damn. Max is warming up to me pretty fast. She's hella more comfy in her own skin around me than before …_

Chloe propped herself up again on one elbow, reaching out with her other hand. Chloe touched her fingers along a series of small, faded freckles on Max's back. Max twitched and slightly straightened her back from the first touch. Chloe began tracing her fingers from one freckle to the next, drawing out the constellations on her back. As Chloe lightly trailed her finger down her back all the way down to Max's tailbone, Max let a small shiver run through her body.

 _Max, you're …_

 _Fuck._

 _It's in the mornings that I hella want you most, Max …_

Chloe felt Max slightly freeze as her finger traced along the sensitive skin at the bottom of her back. Chloe let her hand drop as she edged herself up closer behind Max.

Softly, from behind Max, Chloe placed both of her hands on the brunette's waist, moving her hands to her front and cupping her breasts.

She was gentle; Chloe let her hands merely rest on her small breasts as she closed her eyes and brought her forehead to the centre of Max's back.

Chloe couldn't see, but Max was struggling to find her words. Her mouth fell open at Chloe's touch, only to quickly close it back again. Instead, she found the courage to place her hands on top of Chloe's, which were softly palming her boobs.

"Chlo …" Max began, causing Chloe's eyes to flutter and her eyelashes to tickle the small of Max's back.

Chloe lightly pressed her hands up tighter against Max's chest.

 _Max finally admitted that she loved me last night … but I never –_

"Max."

Max turned her head toward the sound of Chloe's voice. "Mm?"

 _Just … say it, Chloe._

"I love you."

"Wha –"

"I never got to say it to you last night … so, I – I love you, Max," Chloe finally said, thinking that it might have been the hardest thing she's said in a long while. She let out a relieved exhale, her breath warm and faint along Max's back.

 _There. Holy fuck._

Max squeezed the blue-nailed hands that were grasping her chest and ever so softly whispered, "I know, Chlo, I know." She whispered it so breathily that she wasn't sure if Chloe had even heard her. But the feel of Chloe's hands tightening under hers reassured her that Chloe heard her.

With a gentle tug, Chloe leaned backwards toward the bed, pulling Max backwards along with her. Max didn't resist; she let Chloe lay her down – her head resting on Chloe's bare stomach.

 _Damn, Max …_

Chloe looked at the naked girl laying on top of her front-side up. She was completely bare, except for the black knee-high socks Max had managed to put on. Chloe's hands remained on Max's chest the whole time. And although Max's hands hadn't moved from on top of her hands, Chloe could see the pinkish marks along Max's breasts hidden beneath their fingers – proof of her rough sucks and bites from last night. Max's body was like a treasure map, the faint hickeys marking the route of Chloe's lips, tracing all of her nibbles along Max's body last night.

Chloe dragged her eyes back up to Max's head, briefly connecting her eyes with the brunette's before getting distracted by the lovely strands of blue hidden in Max's hair.

Chloe was aware that Max was watching her as she ran her gaze along the length of Max's body. Chloe looked at how the pale skin stretched along Max's tiny stomach and ran over her hip bones.

 _Mm …_

Chloe slipped her hands from underneath Max's and gently palmed her chin. She leaned down and placed a long, sweet kiss on the brunette's lips. As Max laid on Chloe upside down, the kiss felt different in a wonderfully new and curious way.

Chloe could feel Max softly smile against her lips but she kept at it, moving her lips along her girlfriend's.

After a few long minutes, Max could feel Chloe pull away. She arched her back and extended her head, trying to get more of Chloe, more of those bittersweet Chloe kisses.

 _Heh, she is so goddamn cute._

 _And mine._

 _Dude, you need to hold onto this girl as long as you can._

 _I swear to fuck, if anything happens to Max …_

Chloe looked down at Max intensely, her electric blue hair falling around the sides of her face, and said, "Dude, I swear to god if you leave me again I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, CAULFIELD."

Filling the space between them with her words, Chloe earned a series of giggles from the brunette. The shake of her laugh caused gentle jiggles through her perk breasts.

Max continued giggling, to which she finally said, "Chloe. Never. Seriously, don't worry about that. Plus, we have other things to worry about … speaking of which, we should get going."

 _What? Nooo!_

Max started to raise herself off of Chloe's naked lap, turning her front away from Chloe's view. Although it was the second morning she has woken up naked with Chloe, shyness still overtook her.

"Noo," Chloe softly responded under her breath, instantly missing the warm presence of Max's body on hers.

Max reached down and grabbed her white-lace trim grey bra, blushing from the fact that that she had to get it from the _floor_ where her blue-haired girlfriend had thrown it last night. She slipped her arms inside the straps and clasped the band of her bra. As she heard Chloe exhale in a frustrated manner, she went on listing the things they had to do today. "Chlo, you know I want to do nothing more than hang out with you –"

Chloe scoffed.

' _Hang out' … if you KNOW WHAT I MEAN, wink wink._

" – and watch movies and go explore … but you need to go pay Frank today and –"

"Ugh, Max, please don't mention that name when we're about to have smexy times!"

 _Barff, Frank._

Max laughed and replied, "Um, smexy times? You're going to have to buy me dinner first, Price."

" _Please_ , Caulfield," Chloe sarcastically said, "You know I'm broke as fuck. Booze and smokes could work though. I could do that. And anyways, it's not like I even need to do that … I mean, I _could_ get you super wet for me without even having to –"

"ANYWAYS!" Max's eyes grew large. "We _also_ need to figure out what's up with that asshole Nathan and his connections to Rachel and Kate, so that we're completely ready for the Vortex party tonight."

Max walked over to her drawer and pulled out a fresh pair of soft pink underwear, slipping both legs in and pulling them up to her hips. When she heard no response from Chloe, she looked over her shoulder at the older girl.

Chloe was sitting up and dragging her beanie onto her head, adjusting it with one hand.

 _Must have fallen off my head last night or whatever …_

"Chloe?" Max asked.

Chloe looked up.

 _Huh?_

"Huh?" Chloe asked.

"Get out of bed, you delinquent!" Max exclaimed jokingly.

 _Noo! Come back hereee._

 _Damnit, Max._

 _PUT YOUR LIPS BACK ON MINE, JESUS FUCK._

Chloe pulled the white sheet across her chest, crossed her arms over it and responded, "I won't and you can't make me."

Max laughed to herself as she thought of how silly and playful Chloe could be sometimes. As she adjusted the loose strap of her bra, Max walked over to the bedside.

Max set her shins and knees against the edge of the bed and leaned in. "Come onn, Chloe. We should probably get out of here _before_ everyone else starts waking up so I can still sneak you out."

Chloe raised one eyebrow and replied, "And what if I don't?"

Max crossed her arms – although, as much as she tried to be enforcing, she really wasn't doing a good job. Truth be told, Max didn't want to leave either. She wanted nothing more than to hang out with Chloe all day and pretend everything was okay.

But everything was not okay. And she had a promise to keep – to Kate, to Rachel, to herself. She _would_ get to the bottom of this all.

"Well, Price …" Max's voice trailed off.

 _She's got nothin'._

Max shifted her eyes back and forth in fruitless concentration. "Okay, uhh, here," Max stared at the blue-haired girl. "Chloe Price, I _dare_ you to get out of bed. DARE – you know, as in you _must_ do what I say. Yeah. I _so_ dare you. I dare you to heck, Price. So uh ... common get ready and stuff."

 _Dare. Heh._

"Oh hoho, Max, I love it when you talk dirty," Chloe playfully said. For Chloe, dares were now pretty much associated with sex.

Max's face reddened. "Dog, turning down a dare … Chloe Price: The Chicken."

"Ha. More like Chloe Price: The Fucking Lazy."

Max slumped her shoulders in defeat. "Chloeeeee, get out of bed!"

 _What's the rush, Max, when you have your naked girlfriend in bed? Right. In. Front. Of. You._

 _Earth to Max, you sweet fucking nerd of mine._

"Not unless you come back here and do it yourself! Get me out of bed, Max. With your … lips. And your fingers …"

"Get y-your ass out of …" Max stuttered as her large doe eyes widened, her sentence trailing off into silence when she got lost in Chloe's playful smile.

Chloe raised an eyebrow as if to test Max, to which the brunette merely replied by her continual stuttering nervous silence.

 _Alright, Maxine._

Pulling up the thin white sheet and wrapping it overtop her body all the way up to her shoulders, Chloe curled up and turned onto one side to face the wall. She severed their eye contact and turned her head towards the wall as she said, "Fine. I see how it is, Max!"

Max swallowed. "You see, uh, what exactly?"

 _That's it … draw her in …_

"Ohh, just that, well, you know," Chloe responded nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, Price?" Max asked, finding herself to waver her eyes and raise her eyebrow.

 _Draw her in …_

"Max. You are so damn oblivious."

 _Can't you see that I want you?! Fuck._

Chloe went on. "Dude. Way to keep a girl deprived, Max."

Max giggled.

 _Oh, she knows._

Chloe continued, "I mean, what the actual hell. I'm naked under these covers. I just want your bony white ass over here. Is that too much to ask, Max, is that too freakin' much to –"

 _OUFF!_

Right in the middle of Chloe's rant, Max playfully hurled herself on the bed. A chain of giggles erupted as Max heaved herself on top of Chloe, reaching out to steal Chloe's beanie and put it on her own head and then straddling herself around Chloe's waist. As Max struggled to keep her balance on while shoving her girlfriend's beanie on, Chloe playfully protested underneath her.

"Max! Arggggh! Thief, thief! Burglar! Gib me back my beanie, you robber!" Chloe laughed as she frantically twisted her hips from side to side in an attempt to throw Max off balance and have her fall down beside her.

As another series of giggles erupted from Max, Chloe managed to squirm herself from her side to side. To the blue-haired girl's playful defences, Max flopped herself onto Chloe's chest, with only the thin white sheet lying between the two.

 _I hate you._

 _I love you._

 _Ugh._

No matter how much she squirmed, Chloe found herself trapped underneath the warm body of her girlfriend.

With one eyebrow raised, she gave Max a death stare that was both full of love and dire consequences.

... To which Max responded by peppering soft kisses all over Chloe's face. Inbetween giggles and kisses, her eyes found Chloe's.

"We" – Max placed a quick kiss on Chloe's mouth – "have" – she gave her another kiss – "to" – another kiss, this time a little deeper – "go" – Max gently nibbled Chloe's upper lip – "Chlo" – one last kiss. With her final kiss, Chloe raised her head off the pillows and gently tugged at Max's lip, hoping that her kisses wouldn't end.

 _Cute as fuck_ , Chloe thought to herself as she successfully convinced Max not to break their kiss – convinced her with the way her mouth found Max's.

Max pulled her head away a few mere seconds, enough to whisper, "Seriously, Chloe." But she knew she didn't mean it. They were just words she felt responsible to say. The tiny voice in the back of her mind quieted down and the stress of the day fell away – at least, they could fall away for the next few minutes.

Chloe grazed the tip of her tongue along Max's soft mouth, wetting her bottom lip. "Mm, yeah just a sec ..." Chloe said.

 _She tastes so hella sweet ... Fuck, Max._

Chloe, selfishly determined to have more, felt her arms loosely restrained in the sheet wrapped around her that the weight of Max's body had secured. She wiggled her arms out, untangled them from the sheets around her, and wrapped them around Max's back, pulling her down into another lingering kiss.

Chloe rubbed along the nook of Max's lower back as she pressed her mouth to the brunette's. Chloe trailed her eager thumbs on the hem of Max's underwear as Max slowly kissed her back.

Chloe's hands playfully wandered to Max's messy hair, running her fingers through it and playfully tugging at a few thick strands. Her hands then brushed back down over Max's sides, curving down her back, fitting them into the small bend of her waist. She then slid them overtop Max's underwear, grabbing a handful of her ass and pulling Max's straddled body closer to her own. Despite there being a sheet inbetween the two, Chloe could feel the heat from Max's body on her own.

As Max's mouth moved against hers, Max leaned the majority of her weight on her right elbow, leaving her left hand free to explore Chloe's body.

The brunette grazed her hand underneath the weight of her own body, placing it overtop Chloe's breast. She squeezed. She could feel the warm firmness of Chloe's breast overtop the thin white sheet. Chloe's nipple hardened to the touch, protruding from beneath the sheet.

Max continued palming her girlfriend's chest, gently squeezing every few moments, while Chloe's hands explored every inch of Max's backside. She ran her fingers along the hem of Max's underwear which curved from her hips, down along her ass cheeks, and bunching down at the very V of her centre. As Max placed butterfly kisses on Chloe's warm mouth, Chloe slipped the length of her fingers underneath the cotton fabric of Max's undies. Chloe pushed Max more and more into her. The brunette laid on Chloe's chest, the boobs in her bra pressing up against Chloe's breasts, the pressed up flesh spilling out the top of the white sheet.

Chloe snuck her head from Max's lips to the small crook in her neck, placing small kisses along her ear, alternating between licks, sucks and nibbles.

Max's face fell, leaning her forehead on the bed, her breaths beginning to feel heavy beside Chloe's ear with every passing minute. When Chloe nibbled so heavily that it sent electric waves down the brunette's body, Max grabbed a handful of the thin sheets in her fist, gently clenching and tugging it.

 _Mmm, babee. I hella wanna take you there again ... If you just let me ..._

Max brought her mouth back to Chloe's as Chloe trailed her whole hand underneath Max's underwear and roughly pulled at the tight flesh. Chloe slipped her tongue within her kiss, trying to take in as much Max as she could. Max raised her head after a few moments, so close that the top of their lips were still lightly touching. They were both breathy and Chloe could taste the sultry breath of her girlfriend with every deep exhale.

As Chloe intensely watched Max, Max started moving her right hand ... unclasping the blunette's breast, hesitantly trailing it from her side and down her waist. Although the sheet was still loosely hugging Chloe's for curves, she felt the warm palm of Max's hand on her side ... still moving downwards.

 _What is she ..._

Max continued bringing her hand from her side down to her hip. Max slightly inched herself upwards and slipped her hand underneath herself ...

... Along Chloe's outer thigh to finally rest on the V between her legs.

Max palmed her hand downwards and the thin white sheet obliged, taking the form of her hand easily. Chloe took in a sharp breath.

 _Oh god she's_ –

 _She's_ there _, fuck._

Max let the weight of her body fall back again on top of her arm. While she palmed Chloe's centre, the back of her hand and knuckles deliciously rested on her _own_ centre.

Max offered another kiss. Chloe's intense blue gaze pleaded.

"Moree," Chloe whispered as she rocked her hips along Max's hand.

Max responded to the punk with a small smile – her hand refusing to move. She kept it there unmovingly, the heat of her palm enough to drive Chloe insane.

 _Fuckk, don't do this to meee._

Chloe sucked along Max's kiss as she pressed her hips up against Max's body. If only Max could feel the wetness starting to form and feather into the sheets beneath Max's palm.

"Fuckk, Maxine ..." Chloe whispered, to which Max replied with a playful teasing smile.

Max still remained unmoving, enjoying her new-found power over Chloe. Besides time rewind, _this_ power was pretty sweet too. Plus, she didn't want to hand everything to Chloe on a silver platter. Not today.

Chloe looked at Max, raising one frustrated eyebrow which was followed by a small pout. Max's eyes were bright.

"Max. What kind of cruel and sadistic behaviour is this? Seriously," Chloe breathed, "Hella cruel. You kill me," Chloe joked (kind of but not really).

Max head fell as she giggled against Chloe's skin where her neck meets her collarbone.

 _Ruthless._

 _Hella ruthless._

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You suck."

Max raised her head back again, her deviously sweet smile hovering above Chloe's mouth. Max responded with a quiet, "Mmhm."

Chloe tilted her chin upwards, bringing her mouth to Max's for another heavy kiss, her tongue running over Max's. She was content with teasing Chloe. Max moved her hand from inbetween Chloe's thighs and placed it on the side of the punk's face.

After what seemed like a long while, Chloe finally wrapped both arms around Max and pulled her down close to her. The two girls simply laid there, almost naked, a sheet separating their bodies. Max placed her head on Chloe's chest and Chloe wrapped her arms around her back. Max let her eyes fall to a half-lidded bliss while Chloe stared off into the distance above her. Max relaxed into her girlfriend's body and Chloe pulled her in tight.

 _Mmm._

 _So ..._

 _Nice._

The two laid in silence this way for what seemed like a dozen minutes before the sound of a quick ringing broke the sweet silence in the air.

Chloe tilted her head across the room to the sound of her phone going off.

 _A text? Really? Man, universe, y u keep cock-blocking me? Figuratively speaking, of course._

Max raised her head off Chloe's chest, the sound of Chloe's phone reminding her of the obligations and responsibilities heaving down on her shoulders.

"Hey," Chloe whispered as Max began to rise off of the punk's body. Chloe brought herself up on her elbows as Max slipped out of bed. "I don't want to go," Chloe said.

Max looked back at Chloe as she replied, "Me neither, Price. I can't wait for this whole thing to be over." She walked over to the mirror beside her nightstand. "Then we can, hang out more and stuff ..."

Chloe snickered.

 _Yeah, if_ that's _what kids call 'hanging out' these days._

Chloe smirked and said, "Right, _hang out_." She quoted her fingers around the words and continued, " _Hang out_ and tease poor, old Chloe. I see how it is."

Max giggled, changing her mind about the knee-high socks and taking them off. "Ha ha. Shut up, Price. I so did not tease you. Maybe I actually went all the way with you ... And rewinded to save time since we're running kinda late!"

Chloe raised her eyebrow.

 _What._

"Not funny, Caulfield," Chloe said.

"Heh. Yup, maybe we already did everything this morning. And maybe you loved it. But it's just a maybe thing, you know?" Max joked.

Chloe opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Max giggled again. "Guess it's one of those things, Chlo. You'll just never know. Especially because ... Well, if we did stuff, it would be cruel to tell you _now_."

 _Yeah,_ cruel _is one word._

When Max gazed over at Chloe who _still_ had her mouth gaped wide open, she burst into giggles, covering her mouth.

" _Chloe._ I'm kidding. Wowzers," Max said.

 _Kidding._

 _KIDDING?_

 _The fuck!?_

 _So not a joking matter!_

"Dude. What the hell. Not cool. Do you _enjoy_ this kind of torture?! Teasing me for the win and shit ..."

 _Frig. Leave the teasing to me, Mad Max._

Max mumbled something that sounded like a devious "Yeah ..." and then turned to face the mirror, grabbing a comb and brushing through her hair. Chloe watched as she struggled to comb out the messy tangles in her short, wispy hair.

Chloe smirked. "What? You don't like your sex hair, Maxine?"

Max froze at the directness of Chloe and then quickly continued brushing. "Uh, well –"

"Don't worry, you can brush it out now. I'll give it to you again soon," Chloe slyly stated as a matter of factly.

Chloe could hear Max's muffled chuckle as she finished the last of her combing. Max turned towards the bed and stated, "Get out of bed, Price." She bent down and grabbed a handful of the sheets, tugging them softly off of Chloe.

When the sheets reached her waist, Chloe finally said, "Alright, alright. So hella hasty to undress me, huh Caulfield? You can save the begging and pleading for later –" Chloe smirked predatorily "– 'cause I'm gettin' out of bed."

As Chloe brought her legs off the edge of the bed and sat upright, she began to feel ...

 _Woah._

Black mistiness overtook her vision and she blinked.

 _Okaaay random dizzy spells ... You can stop now,_ Chloe thought to herself.

Chloe waited a few seconds for the vertigo to pass. Thankfully, it began to pass as she calmly sat there. Her vision was slowly returning, so she focused on Max's back as she put away her hairbrush and began to search through her closet for some clothes.

With the sheet still loosely wrapped around her waist, Chloe pushed herself off the bed to begin getting ready.

 _What the hell?_

Dark, grainy splotches began overtaking her vision. Wherever she focused her eyes, blurry darkness followed. She felt the blood rush from her head and she pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping it would make it stop. Her head started pounding. Her heart began to palpitate, and that, combined with the blacking out, was enough to throw her off balance.

"Uh, Max – I ... I d-don't know what's –"

Max heard a thud and she turned around. Chloe was tilted over to one side, grabbing anything she could from off the night stand. Her feet were jumbled in the sheets around her legs.

"Chloe?!" Max exclaimed as she strode over to help the punk regain balance.

"Max? I ca – I can't see and I –" Chloe panicked.

Max grabbed Chloe's arm as she swayed backwards, her arm frantically waving around the air. Her waist was tangled in the sheets.

"Chloe? What's going on?!" Max was able to grab a secure hold onto her girlfriend as she set her on the edge of the bed back into a stable sitting position.

Chloe could feel Max's hands on her arm and shoulder, but she only saw blurriness.

Chloe let go of the bridge of her nose and her shaky hand felt the mattress as Max anxiously sat beside her.

"Chloe! Say something! You're freaking me out!" Max exclaimed.

Chloe breathed heavily. "I – I think ..." She swallowed dryly and continued breathing deeply. Her hand clutched the sheet beside her since it made her feel grounded. It helped, since this, whatever _this_ was, was slowly passing. "It's ... I'm good, I just ... I thought I was gonna pass the fuck out."

Max rubbed Chloe's bare back as she calmed down.

Chloe's eyes scanned the room until her vision began clearing free of dark blotches. When everything stopped spinning, she looked at Max.

 _What the fuck was that?!_

 _What the actual fuck!_

She looked at Max's worried face, focusing on her parted mouth. Max spoke slowly, "Holy shit, Chlo. You looked like it too. Are you alright now?" Her doe eyes searched Chloe's.

"I ... think so," Chloe replied as everything stopped spinning and fell back into place. When she saw that Max's worried eyes didn't calm, she joked, "Maybe I had too much to drink or something. I literally had, like two coolers last night. I think your lightweight influence is seeping into me. So thanks a lot, Caulfield." Chloe winked and watched the worry drain from Max's face – only to be replaced by annoyance and relief.

"Ha ha. Aren't you supposed to get ... what was it you called it again? ' _Code Red'_ soon?" Max replied.

 _Right, maybe I am._

 _Maybe._

 _That was probably it._

 _Meh._

Chloe brushed the dizzy spell off and said, "Yeah, probs. But I'm good now, I think," Chloe stood up off the bed to test the waters. Thankfully, no traces of vertigo lingered.

 _Oh man. I don't know what that was, but it's gone now._

"Are you sure, Chloe? I'll get you some water," Max said as she walked over and brought Chloe the giant bottle of fresh water.

Chloe gulped it down, feeling better by the minute. "I'm sure. It was nothing. It must have been my body doing strange things, that's all. You're right. Thanks, babe – for the water." Chloe handed back the bottle.

Max eyed Chloe for a few moments, until she saw Chloe stand up to stretch the sleep away and was convinced that she wouldn't fall over again. Uneasily, Max returned the bottle of water and walked over to her closet. She searched through the hangers while Chloe let the white bed sheets fall from her waist onto the floor.

The blue-haired punk walked over to pick up her clothes from last night.

As she put on her underwear, Chloe watched Max pick out a black t-shirt with the white outline of a moth's exoskeleton. Max put it on along with her jeans and grey hoodie, but Chloe couldn't help but think what a waste it is to put on her clothes, when it'll just be more work to take them off again.

 _Chloe._

 _Focus._

 _You are heading out today._

 _OUT._

 _Ouuuutttt._

 _Stop thinking about smexy times._

Chloe shook the thoughts away from her head as she sat down on Max's couch and put on her bra. She watched as Max started grabbing everything she needed, her phone, her camera, her keys, and shoving them into her book bag. When she finished clasping her bra, Chloe got up to get her cell phone. When she touched the screen open, she remembered that she had received a text when her and Max were lying down.

 _Right._

 _The person who hella cock blocked me and Max._

Chloe swiped the screen to the right.

 _Oh. Mom._

 **Joyce: Chloe Elizabeth Price. I got home and you weren't there. Could you not have called me to let me know where you were? I was this close to calling up David to ask him to patrol around for you. Where on earth where you last night?**

Chloe skimmed through the text when her eyes fell on David's name.

 _David?_

One of the few people who could get under her skin almost immediately.

Chloe clicked on the 'Reply' icon and hastily began typing, her nerves getting the best of her.

 **Chloe: OUT**

 _I was out. Out as in you don't need to know every single thing about me, mom. Fuck._

As soon as the thoughts ran through her mind, they came right back and smacked her with guilt. She quickly began typing a follow-up text.

 **Chloe: With max, mom … don't wrry. I slept at her place**

She threw the phone on the couch and turned to Max, who was putting on her shoes in silence – as if she was lost in deep thought. Perhaps about sneaking her out of the dorms without getting caught again.

"Yo Max. Wanna go back to my place and start building up clues and shit? To find out what happened that night with your friend Kate … and Rachel?" Chloe suggested.

Max looked up as she shoved her heel into her left shoe. "Why your place?"

"'Cause," Chloe replied, "We can't play Nancy Drew at Blackhell … surrounded by the exact people we are trying to _avoid_."

Max tied up her shoelace. "Hm, yeah. I guess we can't exactly set out to find dirt on people in the place they are most likely to be." Max sat up. "Okay, get dressed and let's go."

"Mhm." Max watched her as she picked up the crumpled light blue jeans from last night and began putting them on.

 _What's this?_ Chloe ran her thumb along her hip bone when a dark pink hickey caught her eye.

As she dragged her jeans up to her waist, she cursed Max under her breath – in the most sly and mischievous way.

Chloe thumbed the button on her jeans and looked up at Max. "Hey Mad Max. Ima get dressed. And then I can do the walk of shame."

Max snickered. "You have no shame in the first place, Price." Max watched Chloe pick up her black and white ripped-up tank top and her light black jacket and continued, "But no need for that, Chlo. I'll sneak you out … somehow. How about you, uh, finished getting dressed and I'll go check outside to see if anyone's there. And I can knock on the door to tell you if it's safe so you can come out."

Chloe adjusted her beanie. "Hm. Alright, Max. But dude. I kinda maybe wanted to do the walk of shame," Chloe smirked predatorily.

 _Or … like, the walk of pride._

 _Hell yes._

Max walked over to the door and threw her book bag over her shoulder, giving Chloe a sarcastic look. "By the way, you're insane Chloe Price."

Chloe threw her head back in a laugh. "Woah Max, simmer down on the love and the romance," she responded, winking as Max shushed her and walked out the door to ensure the coast was clear.

 _Hah. Cute._

Chloe pulled the black and white tank top over her head and brought it down over her core. As she got up, she slid into her black jacket and walked near the door in silence, ready for when Max knocked to let her know she can leave.

All of a sudden, Chloe heard the sound of a door opening coming from the hallway.

"… Ugh, it's _you_."

Chloe heard the muffled voice, speaking to Max most likely.

 _Who did Max say she roomed near?_

 _Wait. Is that …?_

"It's bad enough seeing you first thing in the morning, Max, but now you compel me to see your ugly-ass hair too? Blue streaks. Quelle horreur. Stay classy, Maxine."

 _Victoria._

 _That bitch._

She put her head against the door to hear better.

"It's Max. Hi to you too, Victoria," Chloe heard her girlfriend say.

"Right, whatever." Chloe heard a short pause. "Oh and, Maxine? Keep your late-night porn watching down. _Some_ of us are trying to sleep, you perv."

 _Porn watching? Okay, no. Pfft. Except you're hella wrong._

As if it were an instinct, Chloe opened the door and walked out, coming face-to-face with Max and Victoria.

Chloe watched Victoria's eyes glare from Max to hers and Max's again until she finally said, "OHH. _That's right_. I saw your FB status, Max. I see you aim high – dating the expelled sob-story trash."

 _Sob-story?_

 _Don't punch her don't punch her don't punch her don't punch her._

Chloe scoffed calmly. "Dude. No one likes you. Shut the fuck up. We both know you're jealous that Max is getting some and you aren't."

Victoria burst into a shrill laugh as she crossed the hall heading to the bathrooms. "Jealous? Right. Why don't you both go fuck yourselves, please and thank you."

Chloe smirked and flipped her off. "Already hella did."

 _What is Max doing? Why isn't she rewinding?!_

Victoria sneered towards Chloe and gave Max a dirty look. "See you in first period, Maxine … Oh wait. That's AP English. Which you … dropped …," Victoria said. You could almost hear that she wanted to add "dumbass" at the end of her insult. Chloe and Max watched Victoria turn the hallway and heard the bathroom door open and close.

Once she was gone and the hallway cleared, Max whisper yelled, "The hell, Chloe! You shouldn't have come out of my dorm! I'm trying to hide you here!"

"I know," Chloe said in a low voice. But she wasn't going to just stand there and listen to Victoria's hostility. Chloe analyzed her girlfriend's face. She didn't seem _too_ pissed. Although, she did seem slightly annoyed.

Because of her, Victoria saw her.

But on the other hand, because of her, she stood up for Max.

Max sighed. "Anyways, let's get out of here. As much as I hate to say it, Victoria is right. I don't have class this morning since I dropped English. So let's go back to your place to start piecing clues together and figure out a game plan for tonight … before anyone else sees us."

"Please tell me you're skipping class today, Caulfield."

"Yeah, might as well. I have, uh, gym, music, anthro … I can bear to miss those. I _so_ need to spend the whole day figuring out what the hell is going on," Max said wearily as she eyed the hallway.

After a few moments of silence, Chloe turned to Max and said under her breath, "Dude, why didn't you rewind back there?"

Max looked around her anxiously. It was early enough to sneak Chloe out without getting seen, but it was also early enough to run in to students who were just waking up for classes.

"Because. She's not worth it. Either way, she'll be a bitch. In the past, present and future – no matter how much I rewind," Max responded.

"Man. That is so hella disgustingly true. I just hope she keeps her mouth shut. Holy fuck, I swear, if she tells on you that she saw us –"

"Meh. It's not like we don't have stuff to blackmail her back. Ahem, her and Jefferson, ahem!" Max giggled.

 _I swear, I'll hella deal with her myself if she goes and tells on Max …_

The girls briskly walked down the hall side by side, eager to leave campus.

As soon as Max reached for the main door, Alyssa walked in. However, she had a few textbooks in hand and seemed to be rushing, so instead of stopping to chat, she merely said, "Dig the hair streaks, Max" and walked towards the dorms.

Chloe heard Max let out a sigh of relief as they opened the door and ran towards the parking lot.

* * *

"Okay Maxaroni," Chloe said as she stationed the large boards against her closet, "This can be, like, our clue board or some shit."

Max watched the blue-haired girl set the last board down in her room and then walked over to the Hi-Fi stereo to play some music. By the time they had gotten to Chloe's house, Joyce had already left for another shift at the diner. The girls decided to set up a giant wall for clues – so they can link them up visually. Chloe _did_ brainstorm better visually anyways. So far, the plan was to get all of their clues together and try to find some sort of connection. They had collected a ton of evidence, whether it was from the Principal's office from the night they snuck in, Frank's trailer, from David's surveillance activity, or otherwise.

 _Okay, so. Now it's time to put it all together._

"I still gotta print a few more things," Chloe said as she sat herself down and booted up her computer. "You should get busy in the garage to see what dirt you can dig up. I'm going to cyberstalk some names and see where that leads … or to who. And be careful of step-crack. I know that David has more shit to hide. I just hella know it. Can you pwetty, pwetty please go downstairs and go through his crap one more time to see if we missed anything, Max?"

Max finished pinning up the evidence she had in her book bag and turned towards the door. "Sure, Chlo."

As she heard Max close the door behind her as she headed downstairs, Chloe opened up a few tabs, eager to print everything they needed for their board. She began printing newspaper archives on the Prescott family, until a few dozen minutes passed and she got distracted.

 _It's been a while since I checked up on this_ , Chloe thought to herself as she opened up her Facebook. As she scrolled down her News Feed, her name caught her eye in a recently-tagged post.

Max Caulfield is now in a relationship with Chloe Price.

 _Holy crap, look at the amount of likes on this thing._

Chloe smiled to herself as she commented on her own relationship status update with a sticker of a chubby, grey cat cartoon with hearts around it.

 _Fuck, I hella love you._

She scrolled around some more. Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself on Rachel's page.

Chloe scrolled down her wall. There hadn't been any activity on her page since she had disappeared. A bunch of people posted on her wall saying various things such as "Pick up your phone" or "Where are you?" but these posts eventually stopped once people figured her Rachel hadn't been on for a while.

Chloe let a long, sad exhale out.

 _I know you're here._

She felt a shiver pass through her body. She could feel the remnants of Rachel's laugh in the air around her. As if she could still hear her voice's echoes.

She clicked on her profile photos and clicked through them mindlessly until all the photos started to blur together.

 _I miss you, Rach. I fucking miss you._

She focused in on her smile. She couldn't bear to look in her eyes without feeling something tear inside her – something that Max had tried to patch up and sew, but could easily be pried open with the thought of Rachel.

Chloe felt a wave of disquiet uneasiness cut through her body at the thought of never seeing her again.

 _I'm_ going _to find you_ , Chloe roughly thought.

The blue-haired girl felt herself blink back tears, holding them back until they faded away, refusing to let herself get to that point.

 _Just … help us._

 _Help us find out what's going on, Rach._

Chloe let out a low sigh and logged out of Facebook, returning back to her search on Prescott archives. The good news was that since the Prescott's practically owned Arcadia Bay from the onset, the town kept almost all relevant newspaper clippings – to Chloe's convenience, available online.

A few lawsuit threats, a new business partnership here and there, some large funding investments.

Chloe printed them all. They might be relevant. Just in case.

She was waiting for the documents to print, the printer whirring away, when she suddenly felt it.

 _What the –_

As if from out of nowhere, she began burning up. Her whole body – just feeling _hot_.

Chloe rubbed her face with her hands, pressing down on her eyes with the heel of her palm.

In the back of her mind, she could hear Max skipping up the stairs as she made her way back to her room with, hopefully, whatever she found in David's stuff.

Max hurriedly opened up Chloe's room, unnoticing of Chloe's uneasiness as she faced the computer.

Chloe dropped her hands down. Pins and needles began prickling her legs and hands, tingling through her limbs, making her feel as if she couldn't recognize her body anymore.

Max shut the door behind her and rushed to the bed to spread out all the papers in her hands.

"Chloe. I hit the secret file jackpot. Kate, Nathan, _and_ Rachel. Plus some location coordinates. David is like a one-man surveillance army." Max leafed through the evidence distractedly.

Chloe tried to tell Max that it was happening again, but when the abrupt pain shot through her abdomen and seared through her lower stomach, she just couldn't find the words. She could only focus on one thing: the way the tearing ache was burning her up. Chloe leaned over and grabbed her stomach, letting her pounding head hang over.

 _Gahhhhholyfuckwhatisthissss!_

"Oh man, I ran into David, too. He was so damn salty, Chloe. It was kinda funny. He just left but he might be back so we should probably get out of here soon before we get busted." Max intently flipped through the loose-leaf papers on her bed.

When she was greeted with only silence, Max turned her head towards the punk.

"Chloe?"

 _Maxxx, I – I –_

"Chloe!" The brunette's eyes widened, dropping the sheets of paper she was holding – sheets that have become immediately insignificant – as she saw her girlfriend bent over holding her stomach.

Max ran over to where Chloe sat in front of the laptop and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Chloe – speak to me! What's happening?" Max softly demanded with a direct tone of urgency in her voice. As much as she didn't want to panic Chloe and make whatever it was that was happening worse, she was worried. For the second time that day.

Chloe meant to raise her head and tell her to help her to her bed, but her head was just too heavy and the pain in her abdomen was too much, clamping her in place, bent over clutching herself.

Max panicked as she rubbed Chloe's back and brushed away the strands of hair that were sticking to her clammy forehead. She revealed her sweaty face, the colour draining from her face as she clenched her eyes shut in pain.

To the sight, Max could feel herself begin panicking, but she forced herself to concentrate on Chloe. On what she can do to stop this.

Max swallowed. "Chloe, I – I'm here. Focus on my voice, just focus on my voice. I'm going to … I have to…"

Without even thinking it through twice, she knew Chloe was worth it. Anything to make this _stop_. To make her feel better.

Max stepped back and rapidly stuck out her right hand, palm facing out.

And then she rewound.

Max watched as the world blurred around her, but more importantly, she watched Chloe recover in reverse.

Her head lifting up again, her face returning to its normal colour, the sweat fading, her back straightening up, her arms unclutching her stomach.

Max pushed herself to keep going, despite her vision beginning to blotch up with dark spots.

She watched her girlfriend return back to her internet research, the papers sliding back up into the printer.

Red vision blurred but she kept on going until she saw Chloe back to normal, until she made sure Chloe was fine.

And then she stopped.

Max lowered her outraised hand and blinked away the blurs.

Chloe was typing away into the Arcadia Bay archives, unknowing that Max was there with her.

"… Chloe?" Max gently stated.

Chloe jumped.

 _That's weird_ , Chloe thought.

"Huh?" Chloe turned her head to face Max. "I thought you were downstairs searching through the step-douche's shit …?"

Max cautiously walked over to Chloe and responded, "I – I was. I did." Max swallowed. She walked over beside Chloe. "Uh, Chloe? How are you feeling? Are you sure you're not on your period now?"

 _Uh, okaay?_

 _That's hella awks._

"Uhh, I'm pretty sure I'm good, Caulfield." The blue-haired girl replied. She was just about to ask her why she was randomly asking – and more importantly, if she found anything in David's crap downstairs – when she felt it.

An intense warmth suddenly began protruding from her chest, causing her whole body to burn up rapidly.

 _What the –_

"Are you sure, Chlo? Because I had to go back, and oh man, you were looking all kinds of messed up and sick and –"

' _Go back' …?_

Max's voice began fading as Chloe began feeling a slight ringing in her ears. She rubbed her face, shoving the heels of her hands on her clouding eyes.

 _Wait … she had to … rewind …?_

 _Wh .. why?_

And then the tingles returned, quickly taking over her legs and then her hands.

"Max," Chloe interrupted the brunette's panicking, "I feel it again … like this morning …"

Max crouched down to be eye-to-eye to Chloe. "Chloe. Focus on me. Tell me what is causing this – so I can go back and fix it! Did you eat something weird – did you – did you –"

"Gahhhhh!" Chloe exclaimed as a pain in her abdomen knifed through her stomach, paralyzing her and making her grab her stomach.

The world blurred around her and Chloe clenched her eyes shut as the pain took over – for the second time.

"No! Chloe! I can't … I won't let anything happen to you!" Max panicked, rubbing her hand up and down the bluenette's shivering back.

Max stepped back.

She refused to let anything bad happen to Chloe. Panicked, Max blinked past the tears that were blurring her vision and raised her right hand outwards.

She rewound.

She watched the whole scene painfully play back, calming only after she saw Chloe feel back to normal in reverse.

It was completely draining, the blood red blotches monopolizing her vision, along with the tears in her panicked eyes. She pushed herself to rewind until she felt that familiar aching pressure in her head and knew she had to stop. She could only go back so far. Even if she wanted to go back further, she just _couldn't_.

She had to stop.

She lowered her hand down in defeat and rushed over to the punk who was busily researching publically-available dirt on the Prescott's.

"Chloe!"

"Holy fuck, Max!" Chloe jumped as she felt Max set her hand on her shoulder blade, an alarming sense of worry to her touch. She turned her head away from the computer and looked up at the brunette.

 _Are those …?_

"Max – what's wrong?" Chloe agitatedly demanded, watching as Max blinked back the tears. "Why are you so freaked?"

Chloe eyed the brunette as she replied, "I don't know what's going on, Chlo! I can't save – I can't do anythi –"

 _Woah, she is_ seriously _panicked. I wonder if …_

 _Holy shit, she must have found something through David's shit and rushed back here to show me._

"I knew it! What did you find in David's crap, Max? I _knew_ he was hiding something! Fuck! I hella knew it!"

"No, Chloe – you don't understand! It's _not_ about that," Max pleaded.

"Just tell me what you found, Max!" Chloe exclaimed, finding herself more and more worked up as her mind whipped around the various possibilities of David's partaking in this whole mess.

" _Chloe_! Listen to me. It's _you_!" Max stressed.

"Uhh, Earth to Max. Just say it. I can handle it, whatever it is, I can handle it!" Chloe argued, her body beginning to burn up.

Chloe watched as Max watched her with wide eyes. The blue-haired girl blinked as she felt her face get clammy.

 _What the –_

Chloe began rubbing her hand over her face, when she felt it in her fingers.

At first, the tingles were almost trivial. But then they made their way through her arms and legs, the needles prickling throughout her limbs.

Max watched in fear. "It's starting again, Chlo! I'm sorry! I couldn't go back, I tried and I just couldn't go back far enough!"

 _What? Go … back?_

"Maxwhatishappening?!" Chloe vulnerably panicked as the pain seared through her stomach and she bent over to hug herself.

A ton of 'what if' thoughts began clouding Max's mind and she felt her head pounding. She knew that she had to resist the urge to rewind. It would just make Chloe sick over and over again.

She just couldn't save Chloe now. She could save her from all kinds of accidents, but this, she didn't know what was causing it. And that scared her.

But she had to focus.

Be there for Chloe.

Whatever dark thing she was going through, she would at least be there on the other side, waiting for her.

Max rested her hands on Chloe's slouched shoulders and brought her face close to her. In a soft voice, she whispered, "Hang on to my voice, Chlo. You're going to feel really sick in a few moments but … feel the touch of my hands. Focus on that. Please."

 _What?_

 _Ohmygodddwhatthefuck!_

The pain in her lower stomach was just too much. She bent over, hoping the cramping would fade away soon.

Her breathing became wavered and deep; every inhale she took felt like it was expanding the pain in her stomach. Her lungs began to sting from the lack of oxygen and Chloe clenched her eyes shut, focusing only on the far-away echo of Max's voice.

 _Her hands … on me …_

"Focus on this," Max soothed as she rubbed her hands along Chloe's back and brushed away the hair from Chloe's damp face.

She could feel her tank top sticking to her sweaty skin and her head throbbing like a second heartbeat. She heard Max sniffle. She focused on how cold her own hands were, yet how her body was burning. She felt like throwing up.

"I'm here, Chloe, I'm here."

 _Maxxx._

Max's repetitive words were grounding her, keeping her rooted to a distant haven.

After a few more moments which felt like drawn out hours, she could feel Max's voice pulling her back. Away from the pain.

The pain was slowly passing, as if it were a tight knot unwinding. When she felt her body cool down back to its normal temperature and ache in her stomach simmer down to a mere tug, Chloe opened her eyes.

"Max," she heard herself whisper.

She found Max's wide, scared eyes staring back at her.

 _What the fuck was that?! What the actual fuck!_

"Chloe. You're okay," Max said as if she was convincing herself. She breathed out in relief, her hands visibly shaking.

"Dude, what …" Chloe began, wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, "just happened?"

 _And wait – how did she …_

Chloe breathed in slowly. She continued, "How … did you know, Max?"

Max searched her eyes. The tears that shadowed her eyes had faded.

Chloe went on, "You said I was going to get sick … did you – did you rewind?"

Her words seemed to pain Max. Her brows were furrowed and she bit her lip nervously. There was a deep sadness in her eyes. "Yeah, Chlo. I did. I tried, honest. I … couldn't save you."

"Save me? But I'm okay," Chloe said as she locked eyes with the brunette's.

 _Okay now, I guess. I mean, I'm not cringing every time I breathe and I'm not sweating buckets …_

"I know. I just thought … fuck, Chloe. I thought I could save you, and then I couldn't. It freaked me the hell out."

 _Wow, she used what's left of her time rewind to try to stop me from getting sick._

 _She wouldn't even use that on Victoria – even though she might end up telling on Max and getting her in trouble._

 _But she used it on me._

Max let out a trembling sigh.

 _Holy shit, she looks so shaken up from it._

Max went on, "I thought I was seeing you in your last moments, Chloe! Again! Just like that day in the bathroom with Nathan and in the junkyard … and … and my time rewind was too exhausted this time. I couldn't do anything!"

Max tried to keep herself calm, but she hadn't been this panicked in a while. She had convinced herself that Chloe's vertigo episode that morning was over and then was hit by this. Again. The fear of not seeing Chloe again was just too much to bear. If it wasn't for her time rewind, Chloe would be dead. _Dead_. And her power _not_ working was what'd scared her the most: that she'd actually lose Chloe this time.

Chloe got up. She stood there for a second, her hand resting on the chair to make sure she was balanced. When she found that nothing happened, she walked over and sat on the edge of her bed with Max following. "Babe, you did. You _did_ save me." Chloe palmed Max's cheek, raising her head upwards to meet her eyes. "You were the only thing I was thinking about. You pulled me back to reality and past all of that shit."

Despite being still pretty sweaty and a bit light headed, Chloe found herself feeling better rapidly.

Max continued biting her lip until she asked, "What the heck _was_ that, Chloe?"

 _Whatever that was, it was some weird shit._

"The fuck if I know. Don't know and don't really care, 'cause I'm pretty sure it's hella gone now," the blue-haired girl responded.

Max swallowed. "But it's the second time that happened! … Do – do you think it has anything to do with last night? Like how I took you and rewound and you time travelled back with me?"

Chloe scoffed. "You mean, like, if the time travel fucked me up? Or if the universe is pissed off at me for time travelling when I'm not supposed to?"

"Uh, maybe?" Max responded.

"Hah. No. You know how I know, Max? 'Cause I got sick like this yesterday too. Remember? That was why I was late for meeting you outside the dorms last night. And _that_ was before the time travelling with you thing."

Max furrowed her brows in concentration. "Rigght, but didn't you say you got sick because your period was coming or something?"

"Uh, yeah, it should be coming."

Max froze and explored the punk's eyes. "What do you mean it _should_ , Chloe?"

"Uh, I mean it should. It's late but whatevs. Why does that even matter, Max? Come help me set up the evidence on the board – I found some really juicy Prescott –"

"Late? _Chloe_. Since when?"

 _Hmm, good question …_

"Damn, iunno. Like, a weekish or something? It doesn't matter, Max!" Chloe responded.

"No! Chloe, a week ago was when … tell me again what happened that night at the bar with Nathan," Max insisted, her eyes burning into Chloe's.

 _What the hell is Max getting at?_

Chloe spoke slowly. "Look, Max. I needed cash, he was blazed, we went to his room. We drank. I was going to take advantage of his rich kid bullshit. How is this relevant?"

"And that's when he dosed you, right?"

"Uh, yeah. And then I passed out and woke up on the floor or something."

"Or something?" Max questioned.

"I don't fucking know! It's all a blur, okay?" Chloe stressed. She softened her voice and said, "It was insane."

Max put her hand on Chloe's arm and went on, "I know. I hate to bring this shit back up, Chlo. But it's important. So you woke up and he was standing over you grinning like an asshole with a camera?"

Chloe nodded. "And then I managed to get out after I kicked over his freaking lamp."

 _Shudder._

 _Thank god for that. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't get out. Asshole …_

Max went on, her words repainting her memories over again. "And then you asked to meet him in the Blackwell bathroom on Monday to pay you off so you don't tell people what a creep he is?"

"Yes. Correct. Fucking precisely. I was an idiot, Max."

"But why would he want to _kill you_ – he's rich. He could easily deny that he laced your drink, Chloe," Max stated.

"Uh, because he's insane, Max."

Max's eyes shifted to the ground in deep thought. She continued, "But there could be something else … much harder to deny … Wowsers. Chloe. I hate to ask you this. Crap. When you woke up, were your clothes properly on?"

 _What the fuck?_

 _The hell is she saying?_

 _My clothes …_

 _Of course they were properly on!_

 _Right? Fucking right?!_

 _They must have been. Think, Chloe, think!_

 _Okay, so I passed out. And when I woke up, I was … I don't hella remember this shit! My pants were buttoned. For sure._

… _Right?_

 _Right?!_

 _CHLOE!_

As she gave the blue-haired girl space to think it through, Max watched Chloe as she stared downwards and her body slowly slumped over, revealing her vulnerability of unknowing.

Chloe went pale. It was similar to when a layer of ice coats the trees after it rains and freezes over.

Cautiously, Max slowly said, "Chlo, could there be a possibility? That you might be pregn –"

"DON'T SAY IT, MAX. DON'T YOU DARE."

" … Pregnant?"

* * *

 **A/N: BOOM MIC DROPS *SILENCE***

 **You may or may not hate me by now. But this is me. Adding plot. Serious topic, I know. I originally thought Nathan actually raped her and remember worrying 'oh my goodness what if she's pregnant' back in Episode 1. D:**

 **So I know this was a late update. I was pretty much away travelling all of last month, without my laptop. So it was pretty tough to update. I downloaded this crappy writing app on my shitty phone and wrote most of this in stale airports during my travels. Also, uni started up again so that will keep me busy. BUT I definitely won't drop my writing.**

 **A note on reviews, favourites, follows, PMs: Thank you** _ **so**_ **much. Honestly, when I find I lack motivation, I go back and re-read all of my wonderful reviews. Every. Single. One. They make me super giddy and pumped.**

 **I hope all you readers find this story to be interesting, and if not then … well then I cast my deadly scowl in your general direction! xo**


	7. Unraveling Part II

**Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, abuse, violence.**

* * *

Chloe angrily barged out of the bathroom stall. She snapped the thin stick in two, breaking it right down the tiny plus sign.

Chucking the broken halves into the trash can, Max watched the blue-haired girl rest her hands on top of the sink. She slumped her shoulders and let her head hang, her blue hair falling past her face and sticking to her clammy skin.

"… Chlo?" Max softly said as she gently paced over to her girlfriend, her worried face reflecting in the dirty, graffitied mirror.

After Max had mentioned the possibility of … you know … back at Chloe's place, Chloe got mad. Hella pissed. She denied it all at first. Then she dissected even the possibility of it being probable. It was not _unlikely_. Over and over, Chloe had tried to convince herself that it couldn't have happened. At all.

And then the shock hit her.

It was awful for Max to watch her go through it all. Especially when the sadness came. It was quick – a panicked cry, full of nervousness. And then she circled back to being hella pissed again.

Which leads us to here. In the Two Whales Diner bathroom.

"What did it say?" Max asked. She knew she didn't even have to ask. She already knew the answer.

"It said …" Chloe began as she slightly looked up at the mirror in front of her, her eyes shadowed beneath her hair, "It said Nathan's a fucking dead man."

 _I … I don't even think …_

It killed Max to even see her girlfriend in such pain and anger. Mostly anger, but she could see the hurt deep down. The way Chloe pursed her lips, the way her eyes grew dull and dark. It killed her watching her suffer.

 _Just …_

 _Watch your words, Max. She needs you now more than ever._

Max approached the punk and cautiously placed her hand on her arm.

"Chloe … I – I can't believe it."

Chloe furrowed her brows and yanked away, Max's hand falling back to her side.

"That makes fucking _two of us_ , Max. Fuck this shit. Just fuck it! FUCK NATHAN AND THIS TOWN AND FUCK ALL OF THIS!" Chloe yelled as she turned around and slammed her foot into the trash can, its contents spilling out onto the dirty bathroom floor.

Chloe strode over to the bathroom door and yanked it open, stomping out.

 _Fuck, Max!_

"Chloe!" Max exclaimed, rushing to catch the closing door and quickly follow her girlfriend before she did anything she'd regret.

 _Not that she would regret much at this point anyways_.

The thought raced across Max's mind as she used the sleeve of her grey hoodie to quickly wipe at the hot tears that were beginning to form.

Max rushed out of the bathroom and anxiously looked around. People were staring. Her eyes fell on her blue-haired girlfriend ahead, watching as she stomped towards the door and slammed over a small stand of Arcadia Bay brochures. She angrily shoved the entrance door open and briskly walked out, heading to her truck.

 _Chloe._

Max panickedly glanced around. Everyone was having their breakfast. They were looking at Chloe under their eyes – probably thinking she was making a scene. She could see it. Silently judging Chloe. Knowing that they cannot expect much from a law-breaking drop-out like her.

 _Assholes._

 _Every one of them._

Max could feel her face heat up. Her eyes pin-balled from pair to pair of disproving eyes as she briskly followed Chloe out of the diner.

 _Thank god Joyce isn't working the front cash today …_

Running out, Max could see that Chloe had already gotten inside of her truck. She heard her slam the driver door. Max ran across the parking lot until she finally reached Chloe's truck. She could see Chloe gripping the wheel and looking straight out, her knuckles whitened from the grip. Her shoulders were tight and heaving up and down. She could tell that Chloe was much more than angry.

Max opened the truck door and got inside.

 _Holy crap. I can't even imagine what Chloe …_

Chloe's breaths were heavily with anger.

Max watched Chloe fumble with the keys and finally start the engine.

 _She wants to …?_

 _No. No way._

 _Not in this state!_

"Chloe!" Max exclaimed, grabbing Chloe's hand away from the wheel. Chloe was pissed and had every right to. But Max couldn't let her pull anything reckless. "Stop! You're furious and confused as hell – I get that! But I know what you're thinking! Listen to me." Max lowered her voice. "You can't just snap like that. It's too dangerous. I … I can't let anything happen to you again. Not like this. Especially not like this."

Chloe continued to stare ahead. She pulled away and set the truck into Drive. "Me? Yeah fucking right. It's not _me_ that anything's going to happen to. It's that douchebag Nathan. I'll make sure of it. I'll _hella_ make sure of it, Max."

And with that, Chloe stepped on the gas. She U-turned out of her sloppy parking spot and sped towards the parking lot's exit, the wheels leaving skid marks behind them.

 _No!_

"CHLOE! Wait!"

The blue-haired punk abruptly drove on the curb and was just about to pull a sharp turn onto the main road when –

 **HONKKKKKKKKKKKKK!**

Chloe slammed on the breaks as both girls lunged forwards and quickly snapped back into their seats, bringing the truck to a halt in the middle of the turn.

 **HONK HONKK!**

A massive delivery truck wailed as it drove around Chloe's truck, flipped them off, and continued driving.

"Holy crap! Chloe! Look at me – are you alright?!" Max turned her core towards Chloe. The blue-haired girl had turned an off-white shade. Her hands were shaking.

In a low whimper, Chloe responded, "I …" Chloe looked straight ahead, her knuckles greying from her grip on the wheel. "S-s- … I'm sorry. Fuck … We almost got fucking ... I'm – I'm –"

 _Oh Chloe …_

And just like that, Chloe broke down entirely.

Her shoulders collapsed as the sobs erupted from her chest. They first came slowly, but they quickly built up more and more as they quickly became uncontrollable. Her breaths became quick and needy. Gulping for air as the tears streamed down her face.

They remained there on the side of the road, the truck still, as oncoming traffic drove around them.

It was one of the hardest things, watching her girlfriend completely break down like that. Half of her wanted to erupt and scream her hatred for Nathan as loud as possible, and the other half wanted to burst into tears and sink into Chloe's sadness.

Max hardly knew what to do, so she did the only thing she could think of. She reached out and rubbed the shaking girl's back, holding back her own tears and fury.

The traffic subsided and cars slowly drove around the stalled truck. Max considered that they were in a dangerous position and should probably keep driving, but quickly dissolved the thought. Chloe was more important. And she just couldn't right now. The few cars around them will just have go around the truck.

Chloe gritted her teeth as the tears streamed down her face. Max slowly drew her hand up and down along her girlfriend's shuddering back.

Her cheeks wet, her eyes clenched shut. The sobs built up, released, and built up again.

Max continued rubbing her girlfriend's back and whispering to Chloe in an attempt to comfort her.

"I love you Chlo … I know, I know … let it out … I'm here and I love you …" Max whispered as Chloe burrowed her face in the bend of her arm. The sobs continued.

Max's eyebrows creased as she swallowed back her own tears. She just felt so _heavy_. As if a hundred tons were placed on her chest. Heaving.

She couldn't bear to see Chloe endure this pain.

As Max gently rubbed Chloe's back, she couldn't help but look up at the bright sky and simply ask _Why_? An accusation. Why does every fucked up thing always happen to _Chloe_? A question. A question which would undoubtedly go unanswered. A plea. To please, _please_ make it stop. A plea which was probably hurled into nothingness. She tossed out the plea, threw it like a fastball at heaven, if there is such a thing. But it only bounced back to Earth, back to Max. Or it spun out into space, unheard of ever again.

"I'm here Chloe … I'm here. Always …" Max sweetly cooed as she continued to comfort her girlfriend.

To the soundtrack of Chloe's cries, Max was stuck by another type of pain.

 _Is this how Chloe was like when William passed away? Oh god, it must have been_ so much _worse. Poor Chloe … no one to be there for her. She didn't deserve it. Crying all alone, hurting herself, scarring her body. And you … weren't there for her. Fuck you, Max. You left. How could you be so … selfish?_

 _Never again._

Chloe's back trembled as the tears ran down her face.

 _Fuck. Never_ , Max silently promised to herself. _Never again._

After what seemed like forever, Chloe's sobs turned to quiet cries. Luckily, there was now hardly anyone on the road. A few random cars coming into the Diner but otherwise, it was mostly just them.

Max was patient. She knew Chloe was grieving for herself and Max would be there for however long she needed. She would be there for Chloe. No matter what. Always.

Eventually, Chloe's breathing quieted and her cries simmered. After a few minutes of sitting in silence while a few cars drove past them, Chloe turned towards Max and finally said, "I … I can't."

"I know Chlo, I know," Max softly responded. She rubbed the top of Chloe's thigh. She watched as Chloe roughly wiped her streaked face with the back of her hand. Max was hurting for her girlfriend, watching her like this.

"Max … Just … I hate this."

Max nodded as her doe eyes searched Chloe's. Chloe's eyes were more of a dull blue.

They lost their intensity.

Helpless.

Chloe went on, "Fuck," she said shaking her head slowly as she let out a quivering breath. "Promise me we'll fix this Max. I … I need you to promise me that. … Okay?"

Max felt a pang of guilt – Chloe would never even have to ask such a thing if she never left, if she never abandoned her … if she never left her all alone and made her question those who were supposed to be there for her … But before Max would let the blame sink in, she swallowed and replied, "Of course, Chloe. I love you." Max followed Chloe's eyes as they slowly met her own. "Do you want to, you know, get rid of it? We'll go. Right now, Chlo. If that's what you want." Max eyed Chloe, trying to read her response. She knew that although Chloe was furious with Nathan, the real problem was _it_. Being inside of her. Max thought that _that_ scared Chloe most. Nathan could be dealt with after. "Just say the word."

Chloe furrowed her brows as if trying to not tear again. She quickly nodded. She was certain, despite the anger, despite the hurt. She knew that this was not what she wanted.

"Okay," Chloe softly said.

"Okay …" Max followed, eyeing Chloe's hesitance.

"Then ... fuck this. Let's go now, Max." The brunette watched as Chloe blinked her tears away, adjusted her mirror and shifted the truck back to Drive.

 _Like .._ now _now?_

No way in hell can she …

"Uh, Chlo?" Max placed her hand on Chloe's arm. "This is coming from a place of love, but you're impulsive as hell and I don't want you driving like this."

Chloe turned towards Max, a smile forming and breaking into a chain of teary giggles.

With one hand on the wheel, Chloe wiped her face with her arm and put the truck back into Park.

"What? You don't trust my driving Caulfield?" Chloe slyly asked in-between sniffles.

 _Humour. Good. This is good._

 _Sounding like Chloe more and more._

Max smiled at her blue-haired girlfriend and replied, "Exactly, Price, exactly. How did they even give you your license?"

Chloe adjusted her beanie and wiped the remaining tears. "Ha! Ouch, Max. Didn't know you could be such a fucking bully," Chloe joked.

"A bully?" Max countered, flashing Chloe one of her innocent grins. "Never."

"Pfft," Chloe grinned, her eyes beginning to shine again, "I should probably be taking notes, Caulfield … learn a thing or two about being a hella bigass meanie butt."

 _There's the old Chloe._

Max let out a flow of giggles and brushed her hair behind her ears. "Right. A 'bigass meanie butt'. Chloe dahling, you surely have a way with words."

Chloe chuckled as she fidgeted with her hands on her lap, outlining the faint lines on her palms with her fingers. Without looking up, Chloe quietly stated, "Thank you, Maxine."

Max reached out, slipped her fingers between Chloe's and rested her hands on her girlfriend's lap. "You have _nothing_ to thank me for," Max genuinely said. "You really don't, Chlo."

And she meant it.

Max wasn't doing Chloe a favour of any sort by being with her right now. She wasn't trying to 'fix' her or change her. She merely wanted to protect her.

"No, Max. I do. For … still being here and shit. Despite all this bullshit." Chloe brought up their intertwined hands and placed a simple kiss on the top of Max's hand.

Chloe eyed Max as she shook her head in an attempt to genuinely protest that no, she did not have to thank her. But before she could, Chloe started again, "And don't even try to deny it, Max. Now let's get this bullshit situation sorted out."

Max eyed Chloe cautiously.

"You're 100% sure, Chlo?"

"Fuck yes. 2 million and 2% sure. I feel hella better now anyway."

 _She definitely does seem like it. She totally sounds calmer now that she let out all of the stress and anger that she was bottling up._

With her hand resting on the gear stick, Chloe was waiting for Max to give her the 'okay' so they could leave already. As much as she felt a helluva lot better, she needed Max to feel safe too.

 _I mean, she doesn't seem to be tense or strained any longer. She looks and sounds way more … okay … than before._

 _She actually seems kinda detached, as if she disconnected from what actually happened and firmly decided to deal with the aftermath – going to the hospital and getting shit sorted._

 _And she doesn't look like she's about to a) emotionally shatter or b) hysterically go on a raging murder hunt for Nathan._

 _I guess that's all you can ask from her right now, Max._

 _She's better, she's calm. Let's just go and get this over with. The sooner the better, Max._

Convinced that Chloe seemed to be more clear minded now and won't do anything reckless, Max gave Chloe a supporting smile and said, "Let's go."

Chloe pulled the truck into the visitor's section of the Arcadia Bay General Hospital parking lot. On their way here, the drive was surprisingly quiet. Max did most of the talking in an attempt to keep Chloe calm. She even suggested visiting Kate while they were here. Chloe quietly listened and, to Max's surprise, drove slowly – as if she wanted to take her sweet time getting here. No maniacal swerves, no hostile turns.

Max unbuckled her seat belt and gathered her book bag in her lap. She watched as Chloe turned off the truck. But then she watched Chloe's knuckles whiten as her hands anxiously gripped the wheel.

 _Are you sure we're doing the right thing?_

Chloe let out a short, nervous exhale.

 _Yes, definitely._

 _She seems nervous, sure, but not uncertain. It's what she wants. She's sure of it. It's the right thing to do._

With her white-knuckled hands still on the wheel, Chloe lowered her head and glanced out through her blue hair in front of them. A few families were walking in the main entrance, carrying flowers, Get Well Soon balloons, cards. A few nurses were having a smoke break near the side. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Chloe sunk her head back down and tensed up her shoulders.

"Hey," Max softly said as she rested her hand on Chloe's thigh and gently rubbed. "I know this is scary and messed up, Chlo, but I'm here with you. We'll book your consultation and get this over with once and for all."

Chloe eyed Max and gave her a nervous smirk. "Yeah, I just never thought I'd ever be doing this shit."

Max nodded and replied, "I know, Chlo … We can always turn back though."

Chloe instantly shook her head wildly. "Fuck no. I'm doing this. I just … I hope no one sees me. If they tell my mom it'll hella break her heart. Like … more than I usually do. And oh man. If the step-douche finds out somehow, I will legit be a dead man." Chloe ducked her head and anxiously shot her eyes around the parking lot in case she saw anyone she recognized. "OhhhfuckmylifeMax, I hope no one sees me."

Max squeezed Chloe's thigh and gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, Arcadia is totally a small town. But … I mean, if anyone asks, we're here to see Kate, right? Even if someone does recognize us, no one will know why you're here, Chlo. Only you and I, okay?"

Chloe sighed and furrowed her eyebrows.

"You're right, Max." Chloe set the truck in Park and took the keys out of the ignition. "Fuck. Okay. Let's go before I chicken the fuck out."

In one swift move, Chloe adjusted her beanie, unbuckled her seatbelt, and jumped out of the truck, loudly shutting the door behind her. Determined, but scared shitless.

Max quickly followed behind Chloe as they walked through the automated doors of the hospital.

 _Okay, let's do this._

Chloe immediately slowed her pace when the sharp, sour smell of disinfectant hit them. The hospital was more or less empty. There was busy nurses briefing doctors, a couple of children playing with the wheelchairs while their parents patiently read outdated, water-stained magazines, the odd person busy on their phone. Otherwise, the hospital seemed nearly empty.

 _Wowzers,_ Max thought to herself as she took in the familiar grey-white walls. _I haven't been here since the time Chloe fell off her skateboard and broke her wrist. Holy crap._ Max remembered years ago when Chloe was learning to skateboard and insisted on popping an ollie because she had seen it in Tony Hawk and that's the only thing she'd play on the PlayStation. She remembered Chloe sitting on the curb with a swollen wrist while waiting for Joyce to come pick them up. She remembered freaking out and crying while Chloe was attempting to cheer her up by telling lame jokes, even though Chloe was the one in pain. The bittersweet memories hit her while passing by the pasty surroundings. _Wow, that seems to be ages ago_.

She eyed the narrow hospital hallways, the stray nurse carts, the IV hooks, the uncomfortable chairs which are practically designed to be uncomfortable so you can stay awake.

Chloe looked around wearily. "Hospitals always freak me out."

"I hear you," Max responded, squeezing Chloe's arm reassuringly.

Chloe plunged her hands inside her pockets and looked around, trying to dissect the many signs on the walls. Max joined her in an attempt to find Kate's section. Perhaps they could go see Kate first and then book Chloe's consultation. Max eyed the various signs.

The maternity ward.

The ICU.

The emergency room.

The post-operative recovery ward.

The information desk up ahead.

 _Ah, there. The psych section._

Max squinted to see the sign saying 'Psychiatric Rehabilitation' pointing right behind the information desk.

 _Poor Kate._

Max pulled Chloe off to the side. "So do you want to head to the info desk to book you an appointment first or head over to visit Kate first? Up to you, Chlo."

Chloe shook her head. "No, you go ahead and chill with Kate. She'll … she'll be stoked to see you. I gotta do this on my own."

Max bit her lip hesitantly and softly responded, "Are you sure? I can come with you and wait until you book it."

"Nah, I just want to go in and get out." Chloe looked up ahead. "And you gotta go see Kate yourself. She's needs you … no point in me coming. Anyway," Chloe said as she nodded towards the Psych sign, "I see the ward she'll be in. I know where you'll be. I'll just meet you back here or some shit."

 _Give her space, Max. Don't insist._

 _She needs to do this herself._

 _As long as she knows where to find you._

Max gazed at Chloe and finally said, "O-okay." Max patted her pocket, making sure her cell phone was there. "Then … text me when you're done, Chlo. Or if you … if anything."

"Thanks," Chloe said, giving Max a soft smile, her eyes burning into Max's. And with that, Chloe made her way to the front desk, waiting to be directed to her doctor's waiting room to book a consultation.

 _Damn, I hope Chloe will manage …_

 _You can support her all you want Max, but she doesn't want you to hand hold her._

 _Guess that's fair, but I can't help but be nervous for her._

Max thought to herself as she slowly made her way towards the section Kate would be in. While she was certainly nervous for Chloe, she was also uneasy to see Kate.

 _I can't imagine what Kate feels like being in here. But I'm so glad I get to see her again._

 _I hope it's not too weird for her_ , Max thought as she walked past a few doctors closely examining a clipboard. She walked past the doors – some were open, others closed. Luckily, they each had the patients' names written outside on the room log.

 _McCally … Nillson … no, no … nope … Abeldeen … Truong … no …_

Max wandered past a few more rooms with unfamiliar names, until finally …

 _Marsh! This must be Kate's room!_

The door was slightly open, so Max went ahead and gently pushed it, her head peeking to take in all it could.

The plain hospital bed, a few balloons, scattered cards here and there.

 _Kate!_ Max smiled as her eyes landed on the brunette. She was sitting cross-legged in front of a widely-lit window, the white light shining on her drawing. Her hair was still up, sketching. Same old Kate.

Smiling, Max took a few steps towards her friend and Kate looked up.

"Max!" Kate's face immediately lit up as she rushed up from her seat by the window to bring Max into a big hug.

"Kate," Max beamed, returning the hug and rubbing her back gently.

Kate looked intently at Max and her smile faded, a worried look becoming evident on her expression. "Oh Max, I thought I'd never see you again. I feel so ridiculous … I am so sorry."

Max shook her head gently. "Kate, listen to me. You have _nothing_ to be sorry about. Other people do." Max bit her bottom lip and genuinely smiled. Kate seemed great. Healthy, even. She went on, "You do not know how happy I am to see you … Is it a stupid question if I ask how you're doing?"

Kate covered her mouth as she giggled. "Now that you're here," Kate began as she walked over back to her seat by the window, "I'm doing even better. I'm _so_ grateful to you for coming up to the roof to talk me down. Max, I felt _so_ lost and alone … but when I saw how much you cared, how hard you were trying … you made me realize I wasn't alone. Thank you."

Kate smiled and Max smiled back. Max watched Kate sit back down and place her drawing book back in her lap.

 _Oh, Kate. Thank Dog for my time rewind. Otherwise …_

"Kate, there are so many people who love you and want to help you."

"I know – you should see all the letters and postcards." Kate glanced over her shoulder at the sprawled out Get Well Soon cards and balloons beside her bed. "I gave most of the flowers to other patients here because they need them more than me. I'm keeping the balloons, though," Kate grinned sweetly, shuffling the sketches in her lap. "One of the nurses gave me some pen and paper so I could do some drawings."

 _Oh man, it's so awesome that Kate's drawing again._

Max remembered how Kate used to constantly doodle in class. They were always so sweet and cartoony and animated. Typical Kate. "I love your illustrations."

"They got kind of dark there for a while," Kate shrugged, "but I have an idea for a new children's book about bullying. I was thinking of having some photographs in there too."

Max grinned and replied, "I hope that's a subtle hint that you'll let me take the photographs for the book."

Kate chuckled. "Was that subtle? You _better_ take the pictures, Max!"

 _Aw, what a sweetheart. Same old Kate. Thank god._

Max smiled and watched Kate curiously follow her hands as they brushed her short hair behind her ears.

"Um, Max?" Kate began, "You know I don't like to pry, but you ... put blue in your hair? It suits you."

She had almost forgot about that. She grabbed her elbow nervously and chuckled. "Oh, yeah – because of Chloe."

Kate's eyebrows knitted close together.

"You know ... Chloe?" Kate shook her head unknowingly. "Have you met her?"

"Hmm, I'm not too sure. Does she go to Blackwell?"

 _Right. Chloe was a year ahead before she was expelled. Kate probably wouldn't have known her from Blackwell unless she's seen her around._

"Not anymore, but you probably have seen her around Arcadia. She's the only one around here with blue hair," Max nervously blushed.

Kate's face lit up. "Oh! Rachel Amber's friend. I remember seeing her hanging around with Justin and Trevor. And ... well ... I haven't heard the best things about her, but I don't judge, Max." Kate smiled. "Is she a friend of yours?"

 _Oh shit. Kate ... doesn't know yet. Damn, Max. You have some explaining to do._ Max hesitated and briefly worried whether Kate would judge – being religious and all. But it was _Kate_. The kindest person Max knew.

"Uh," Max started, "Have you seen Facebook lately?"

Kate shook her head and smiled. "Oh, I haven't. They don't really give us internet access here. Why?"

Max bit her bottom lip. Her stomach flip-flopped.

 _Max. You can tell Kate._

 _The fact that she's religious shouldn't matter. Hopefully. Probably._

 _Max. Common. It's KATE._

"Right," Max nervously responded, feeling silly all of a sudden, despite knowing it was _completely_ unfounded. "W-well..."

 _Just say it!_

Max began to talk. Fast.

"IknewChloesinceIwasreallyyoungandthenImovedawaybutcamebackandshedyedmyhairand –"

Kate laughed. "Max?"

Max let out a weary exhale, shifted her eyes, and replied, "We're together. _Together_."

 _Ohmydogcringeee._

Max watched as her friend went through a visible jolt of surprise, wide eyes staring back, her mouth slightly gaping, speechless. Max's anxiety was short-lived though as Kate's shock turned into a warm smile.

"Wow, Max, that's ... beautiful," Kate quietly said, smiling.

 _... She ... She thinks ..._

Kate's support didn't exactly come to a surprise to Max considering Kate was amazing in all ways. Still, though, Kate was the first person she'd told about this. The. First. Person. Ever. The worry, while short-lived, could have easily arose from the fact that Max was pretty much _coming out_ for the first time to a real person that is not Chloe or online. It made things so much more _real_. Especially knowing that she should be saving up her time rewind, which meant that there was no way to save her ass from humiliation or potential disapproval.

"Kate, I ... am really glad to hear you say that." Max smiled in relief.

Kate grinned and placed her hand on Max's arm excitedly. "I am really happy for you, Max. You seem really thrilled to be with her. I don't know much about her, but I'm happy you're happy." Kate looked out the window with beaming eyes and glanced back at Max while fiddling with the tiny golden cross hanging around her necklace. "I just ... Well I guess I didn't know you ... What I mean to say is ... I thought you and Warren had –"

"Oh nonono," Max shook her head while chuckling. "Warren is super smart and silly but ... no. He and Brooke seem really perfect though. But I get what you're saying, Kate. I ... didn't really know. I don't really know s-still ..."

"Love is love, Max," Kate replied, shooting Max a soft smile.

 _Wowzers,_ Max thought to herself as she relaxed more and more. She was overall happy she went through with it. She had actually told someone.

But with everything that's going on and Chloe somewhere in the hospital willingly doing something awfully scary and alone, Max was definitely worried about what Kate would think since it would add to the stress, but it would not keep her up at night. Especially considering that her nights were probably numbered. She had other things to worry about. And let's face it. Kate was religious, Max knew that. But Kate was also accepting and wonderfully supportive. Max had bigger things to worry about. Plus, telling someone was actually quite liberating more than it was worrisome.

Max smiled back, her eyes beaming. "You're awesome for understanding. Seriously, Kate."

"For what? You are just being you. And it's perfect," Kate gently replied.

Max scrunched her eyebrows. "I want you to know I'm _this_ close," Max stated as she pinched her fingers together to signify smallness, "to getting all the info I need about Nathan."

Kate's head fell and she glanced out the bright window from underneath her bangs. "Nathan Prescott has to pay for what he did. And we have to stop him from hurting anybody else."

 _You are so right Kate,_ Max sadly thought to herself as she remembered the reason why Chloe was in the hospital booking a consultation in the first place.

"I think his family is totally protecting him. Or worse," Max stated.

Kate shook her head intently and glanced up at Max. "I never say this about people ... but Max, there's something evil about the Prescotts."

 _Trust me Kate, I'm trying my hardest. For Chloe's sake. For Rachel's sake. For your sake._

 _Chloe ..._

"Kate ...?" Max hesitated but then quickly followed, "Can I ask you something?"

Kate's eyebrows raised. "Always, Max."

 _You. Trust. Her. Max._

"I know this is weird of me to ask, Kate ..." Max furrowed her brows and pursed her lips, "but what does the Bible say about abortion after being abused?"

Kate was frozen in shock, her eyes wide as saucers. She blinked rapidly a few times and regained herself enough to quickly ask, " _What?_ Max, why? Is everything alright?!"

"Yes ... No. I mean yes. I-I'm alright. I just have a strange feeling that Nathan is pulling off some messed up things ... and it's fucking scaring the hell out of me, Kate. You were right."

"I believe you, Max. More than anyone ... the way you believed in me when no one else would. Just ... know that you can always count on me."

"We're going to stop him. And Chloe's going to help us," Max spoke in a lower voice. Kate was now visibly tense. Or sad. Or both. "I already found a bunch of things on Nathan. Long story short, I … kinda broke into David's things and found a hell of a lot of surveillance shit – coordinates, car plates, things on tracking Nathan. I … I think Nathan was heavily involved in drugs from what I can tell. I'm pretty sure I can get dirt on him from his dealer. I _know_ we can prove that he drugged you, Kate. And possibly other girls …" Max briefly paused and watched Kate furrow her brows in anger. "David is keeping surveillance on everyone, Kate, and I mean _everyone_. I just have to find Nathan's room number, get inside and get the clues I need. I am almost certain I can find dirt on him."

 _Hella certain._

Kate's face lit up. "Max, please let me help! I can get the number and I'll text it to you, okay?"

 _Kate. Is. The. Best._

"Of course Kate ... I can't do this without you!" Max smiled in relief.

"Now it's time for Nathan to watch out for us."

 **Bzzzz Bzzz**

 _Chloe._

 _She must be done_ , Max thought in a rush as she shoved her hand through her pocket, fumbling to take out her buzzing cell phone and almost dropping it from uneasiness.

She swiped at the screen and opened the incoming text. It was from Chloe.

 **Chloe: max i'm done come meet me**

Max read it once and then once again, her heart momentarily stopping and the world blurring around her.

 **Max: Coming right now Chlo**

Quickly typing a reply, Max shoved the phone back in her pocket and looked up at Kate, who was intently watching her and fiddling with the pen and drawing paper on her lap, rolling the paper in a tube.

"I have to get back to our … our mission," Max smiled. "You don't know _how_ much it means to see you again."

Kate grinned that kind smile of hers and said, "I do. That's why I love you, Max. And thanks for taking care of my bunny." Kate got up and brought Max into a warm hug. "Thanks again for visiting me, Max."

"Bye Kate, text me when you can about the dorm number," Max said as she started briskly walking to the door as Kate sat back down and got back to drawing.

Max left the door slightly open the way she found it and quickly made her way down the hallway back to the lobby to meet Chloe. She sped walked and almost jogged, slowing down to a regular pace when passing by the odd nurse or doctor.

After quickly reaching the end of the hallway and turning the corner, she finally reached the lobby. Max glanced around hurriedly until her eyes landed on her blue-haired girlfriend pacing back and forth near the vending machines off to the side.

Max quickly made her way to Chloe, who raised her head when seeing Max approaching her. Nearing Chloe, Max could better see her girlfriend's expression. See seemed a little paler, her mouth slightly frowning at the corners, her eyes wider than usual.

Chloe seemed distraught, jittery even.

 _Vulnerable._

 _Oh Chloe._

Chloe stopped pacing when Max reached her. The lobby seemed emptier than before, which was good for Chloe's sake, Max supposed.

"Chloe," Max said in a low voice as she reached out and gently touched her hand to Chloe's. Chloe didn't look angry – not as much anymore. A little sad, a little relieved, but ultimately glad to see Max. Her eyes lit up.

Chloe looked down to where her hand was touching Max's and interlaced her fingers through the brunette's. Her ice cold fingers were warmed by Max's. It calmed her.

"Max," Chloe stared intently at Max, her blue eyes piercing into Max's. "It's booked," Chloe said, her voice quieting.

 _It's booked._

 _It's. Booked. Chloe …_

Two syllables Max never thought she'd hear from Chloe in that context.

Max's wide doe eyes stared into Chloe's, one eye to the other and back. Trying to read her.

Max heard herself say, "W-when is it bo–"

"I don't want to talk about that. Not here. Not now. Let's go back to the truck, Max," Chloe said as she turned and tugged Max's hand towards the hospital exit.

Max dropped it and obliged. It was booked and that was that. Max would be there for her when the time came. But for now, Max dropped it. Chloe didn't say it in a salty way, just in a not-wanting-to-talk-about-it-anymore way. And that was completely fair.

Max tagged after Chloe without breaking their grasp as they walked out of the stuffy, sterile hospital and into the crisp Arcadia Bay air.

Max shot her head in both directions as Chloe tugged at her hand and sped walked past the parking lot towards the truck. Max was almost jogging as she tried to keep up with Chloe. She tried to glance around and take in their surroundings – mostly to make sure no one they knew would see them. But before Max could properly look around, they had reached the truck. Chloe just wanted to leave – especially after what she just put herself up to. And, again, that was completely fair.

Chloe unlocked the truck and jumped in, shutting the door behind her. Max followed and did the same thing, getting into her seat and buckling the seatbelt. Chloe fumbled with the keys as she tried to put the keys in the ignition, but her hands were shaky.

Max arched her eyebrows in concern and placed her hand on Chloe's, lowering it away from the ignition. Max told herself repeatedly that they would _not_ leave in a panic _again_. Either way, they were safe now. Alone in the truck. No one around. Reasonably far from the hospital. The parking lot nearly empty.

Max opened her mouth slightly, speechless for a few moments until she finally asked, "Chlo … Are you alright?"

Chloe tightened her lips and turned to Max. Her blue eyes pierced through Max's and when she said that yes, she was better now, Max almost believed her.

But the brunette was patient. She merely tightened her grasp on Chloe's hand and sat in silence, waiting for her girlfriend to tell her. And Chloe appreciated that. Her hand remained in Max's and she used the space Max gave her to process her thoughts.

Chloe seemed confused – her mouth opening as if to say something but then quickly closing again. After what seemed like a few minutes, Chloe began.

"I'm … fine. For real," Chloe squeezed Max's hand. "Dude, I just can't believe it. The whole time I was like 'holy fuck as if I'm doing this shit'. I can't believe I had the balls to do it though and I honest to god can't fucking wait to get it over with."

Max nodded as she listened patiently. "I can't wait for you to get it over with too, Chlo," Max softly replied.

Chloe smiled, as if sensing Max's worry. "But I'm okay now, I guess. It was just booking the appointment. It's freaking crappy and fucked up but ... I did it."

Chloe turned her head away. One hand remained on the wheel and the other in Max's hand. She was turning herself off, hardening. Max could tell – the way she was detaching, as if to protect herself. As if too much emotion would ruin her. Building up dams to prevent the spill. The chaos. Chloe knew the routine all too well. The only difference was that she wasn't doing it in spite of Max. She trusted Max and knew she was always there for her. It wasn't Max she was building a dam against. It was against the situation. And, quite frankly, she couldn't help it. Old habits die hard, presumably.

But Max knew Chloe just needed space. To process, to take it all in. She trusted that Chloe knew she'd always be there for her. She wouldn't pry.

"Did you ... see anyone you knew?"

"Nah," Chloe calmly responded. "What about your friend ... Kate? How was it?"

Max smiled as she traced the dip and rise of Chloe's pale knuckles. "She's still Kate, thank god. And she'll even help us with Nathan."

Chloe turned over to Max and genuinely smiled. "I'm glad you visited her," the blue-haired girl said. Chloe reached up and played with the bullets hanging around her neck. Max glanced at her girlfriend's bare collarbone and couldn't help but lose her train of thought.

"M ... me too, and I'm so proud of you Chlo." Max smiled.

Chloe bit her bottom lip and her eyes turned a shade of cool blue. "Dude, thanks for coming with me. I owe ya, Maxine." Her free hand slid to Max's neck and pulled her mouth to Max's. Taken slightly by surprise, Max didn't protest. She lost herself in the way they just _fit_. Her lips gently insisted on Max's and a familiar buzz filled the brunette's chest. Chloe's kiss was hard, yet soft. So Chloe.

Pulling away, Chloe smirked and placed a butterfly kiss on Max's nose.

Max found herself blushing again. "You ... can thank me any time, Price," Max said, giggling.

Chloe chuckled and fingered the truck keys that had fallen in her lap. "Hah, you wish," the blue-haired girl said as she inserted the key into the ignition. Max eyed her girlfriend and concluded that she seemed way less shaky. The truck started with a putter and a subsequent hum.

As Chloe shifted the gear stick from Park to Reverse, she squinted her eyes predatorily and said, "Now let's go pay a visit to Nathan Prescott. That little prick is not going to be glad when he sees us."

* * *

The ride from the hospital to Blackwell wasn't as bad as the ride to the hospital, that was for sure. To Max's relief, Chloe was past the stage of sad. She was now pissed. Hella pissed. She actually seemed to be eager that they were paying a visit to Nathan, in a sick kind of way. Or at least, a revenge-that-is-sure-to-produce-some-sort-of-satisfactory-high kind of way. Chloe had a whole lot of anger stored up and saved just for Nathan.

The two girls parked a few side streets away from Blackwell's parking lot – just in case they get spotted and questioned – and swiftly made their way to the dorms.

The sun shone on in an annoyingly bright manner as Chloe and Max entered the boy's dormitory section of the Blackwell campus. It shone as if to conceal the many things that were going wrong at that moment, and, interestingly enough, it was doing a great job. Max looked around the front yard of the boy's dormitory and watched a few students hanging around mindlessly. A few guys from the upper grades were hanging around the far side, smoking what looked like to be a joint. Reasonably so, seeing as there was no Blackwell officials in sight. It was late afternoon and most people were most likely in class. The only students around were those skipping class or those who simply had no class at that time.

 _Thank dog_ , Max thought to herself as she triple checked to ensure that the coast was clear from anyone who could question what they were doing there. Especially Chloe. The fact that the blue-haired girl had been previously expelled may likely raise some questions. Criminal record and all. Yet, Max spotted no one of concern. No Principal Wells, no David, no Samuel, no teachers.

 _Just dummy Blackwell bro-holes_ , Max thought as she eyed the jocks throwing around a football back and forth. No matter what, everyone around was easily distracted and not paying attention to the two awkward girls approaching the boy's dormitory.

"Damn, the dude's dorms hella look the same," Chloe said as she paced behind Max, shoving her hands in her pockets as she looked around. She did have a point. The boy's dorms looked almost identical to the girls' from the outside.

"Hmm," Max said as she made her way on the pathways near the building's walls. It was the first time Max had stepped near the boy's dorms. "Yeah, weird right?"

As the girls silently made their way past the few guys who were distractedly hanging out near the front, Max and Chloe were about to take their last few steps on the pathway when someone called her name.

"Max?"

Turning around, Max already knew who it was before even checking. Daniel DaCosta was sitting by a tree in the shade sketching.

"Daniel, hey," Max said as she cautiously looked around in case anyone had seen them.

"Max, wow! Your hair. It's really neat," Daniel said as he eyed Max's blue streaks and then glanced back at Chloe, who had zoned out and was checking out some of the graffiti on the walls.

 _He must be wondering …_

 _Oh._

 _OH._

Max smiled and fiddled with the strap of her book bag. "Thanks, Daniel. Uh, that's my frie –," Max stuttered. "Chloe. That's Chloe."

"Cool," Daniel replied as he gave Max a knowing smirk. "Hey, are you two –"

"Uh, have you seen Nathan?" Max interrupted. "I … we have to … talk to him," she interrupted, lying.

Daniel looked to his right and then shook his head. "I haven't seen him. I heard about his suspension, Max, but I am pretty sure he comes into his dorm sometimes at night."

 _Well, it isn't night yet. Please let the dorms be Prescott-free._

"Thanks. It doesn't surprise me, honestly. It seems like Nathan can get away with a shit ton of things around here," Max replied, thinking about Chloe. "We gotta go now, though. See you, Daniel."

"Okay, see you around."

 _Phewf._

Max smiled and offered a friendly wave, which was returned with a kind grin and a head nod. Turning around, she grabbed Chloe's arm and rushed her into the boy's dormitory, making sure no one else's eyes were following them as the entrance door shut closed.

Once the door shut completely and the two girls confirmed that they were the only ones in that hallway, Chloe walked in as if she owned the place.

The blue-haired girl scoffed. "The inside of the damn thing looks like the girl's ones, too." She looked around and giggled. "Even though I went to Blackwell, I never needed a dorm, living with the rents and shit … but man, even if I did live in dorms, I wouldn't be caught dead in the dude's dorms. Fuck that."

Max looked her way and gave her a weird look. Chloe went on, "I'm not trying to come here to suffocate. This place reeks. And I hella don't have money for a gas mask."

"Gross," Max giggled as she stepped over the rotting sandwich and the old t-shirt with sweat stains that was lying along the edge of the hallway. "Now we just have to find Nathan's room and … you know … not die. I don't want to really use up my time rewind because you're suffocating from the stench."

"So hella raunchy."

Max and Chloe looked past the many posters that were pinned on the walls until finally spotting the dorm layout chart. Walking over, the two could clearly see that the floor layout was pretty much illegible. Graffiti charted the floor layout completely and the names of the boys and their dorm numbers were almost unidentifiable underneath the blanket of curse words and graffiti.

Chloe took one look at it and turned around, kicking at a fallen Vortex party poster and deciding she didn't have the patience for deciphering the floor plan.

Max eyed the … colourful … graffiti scrawled on the chart: _no homo … huge penis … BLOW ME … GAYniel DaCosta … fuck off my dorm …_

Max furrowed her brows in frustration and said "Oh, how lovely and completely useless" under her breath.

Chloe was a few steps away, putting her ear against one dorm, but she must have heard Max's frustration. "Whatever. We'll just check each one of these dorms until we find that fuckhead Nath –"

 **Bzzzz Bzzz**

Both girls turned to each other, hearing the slight vibration of Max's phone.

Max's face lit up as she quickly dug around her pocket to obtain her buzzing cell phone. "Please _please_ be Kate."

Seeing Kate's name on the front of her phone brought an urgent smile to Max's face.

 **Kate: Super-Max, in case you still need it, Nathan's room number is 111**

 _Yes! She came through!_ _Ohh, Kate brings it! So Room 111 is the magic number …_

"111! His room is 111, Chlo!"

Swiping right to quickly reply, Max took a moment to thank Kate for saving their butts at the most perfect moment.

 **Max: Kate, you are so AWESOME. Thank U!**

Kate almost immediately replied.

 **Kate: I love that you bring out the rebel in me.**

 **Max: You already are a rebel. Trust me.**

 _Seriously, after all she's been through and is still so determined to get his ass._

 **Kate: Always! And please be careful, promise?**

 **Max: Of course! I'll keep you posted!**

As soon as she sent that, Max immediately felt a pang of uncertainty. It might be a promise she could not keep. Nonetheless, the thought was quickly chased away with Kate's almost-immediate response.

 **Kate: I know you will! :)**

Already making her way down the hallway, Max sent her last text.

 **Max: (** **^ ^) /**

Max put her phone away and trailed behind Chloe, who was already up ahead searching for Room 111.

As the girls turned the corner, they could see Room 111 at the end of the hall.

"Now let's get into Blackwell ninja mode," Max whispered as she looked to the left. No one there. She looked to the right, ditto. They were all alone.

But maybe not for long.

Chloe went to rush over to the door, but Max grabbed her arm. She immediately became hesitant when considering the potential of getting caught.

Max bit her bottom lip and said, "Wait here. I'll go." Upon Chloe's confused face, Max continued, "I-In case Nathan shows up, give me a signal so I can get the hell out of here."

Chloe's face slightly fell but the blue-haired girl quickly got over it.

"I mean, I kinda had plans to hella trash his room just now sooo you're probs right," Chloe walked over and leaned up against the hallway wall, crossing her arms and putting one boot up against the wall. "I won't let you down Bat Max. I'll keep a look out … and by keep a look out, I mean I'll, you know, kill him if I see him." Chloe smiled predatorily.

"Oh, I _know_ you will," Max suppressed a smile and turned the corner, rushing down the hall to Nathan's room. Passing by a few dorms, Max could hear that they were indeed not alone.

 _As long as it's not Nathan …_

Rushing by, she got a nice, strong whiff of pot as she passed by Trevor's room. She heard Trevor laugh and, a few seconds later, she could have sworn she heard a female's voice in there too.

 _Ughh, gross_ , Max thought to herself as she was almost certain that she had heard Dana's voice.

Shaking off the smell of weed, complete with the faint sound of video games and Dana's dreamy whispers, Max repressed the thought of what could be going on in that room right now. Completely disgusting.

Was what even more disgusting was the whiteboard right across.

THE PRESCOTTS RULE THIS TOWN was aggressively and boldly written on the whiteboard.

 _This can only be Nathan's room._

No doubt about it.

 _Only he is as big of a self-absorbed prick to write that. Asshole._

Max reached out and attempted to open the door. Locked, unsurprisingly, but Max wanted to try just in case Nathan was stupid enough to leave it open.

 _Locked … nothing a good ol' fire extinguisher can't resolve!_ Max thought to herself as she grabbed the heavy red cylinder laying right beside the door and brought it smashing down upon the door handle.

 _Once, twice … three time's a charm._ Max crashed the handle one last time, hearing the tingle of the fallen hinges and smiling to herself as the door cracked open.

 _Not even going to rewind to fix the damage … definitely not for this ass._

As Max quickly sneaked inside the door, she could have sworn she heard Chloe chuckle and mutter something along the lines of "She learnt from the besttt … obviously."

 _Of course you would be proud, Chlo._ Max smiled to herself as she shut the door behind her and flicked on the light switch.

It was a dull, grey light coming from the few lamps in Nathan's room. The lights flickered once before illuminating the room, as if hesitating to show Max its secrets.

 _Wowzers …_

Max took in the surroundings. Everything was dark. Dark and moody. Blacks, greys … murkiness, dimness. Yet, it was clean. Sterile … almost.

 _Oookay, this isn't creepy at all._

Right in front of her, Max was faced with dark walls peppered with various disturbing portraits. To her left, a desk was scattered with expensive photo equipment. Quickly glancing above the desk, Max spotted a sweet little certificate with "Best Son In The World" penned on it.

 _Guess this is Nathan's soft spot …_

Max kept looking around, taking everything in. A black leather couch beside the table, a computer with a creepy black and white screensaver, a projector, a –

 _A projector? Seriously? A freaking projector?_

Max brushed away the annoying thought of rich-white-boy privileges and set herself right in front of the computer. High tech, yes. Expensive, most likely. Password?

Nope.

Max bit her bottom lip in anticipation as she opened up Nathan's existing tabs. A few open tabs were just school research stuff, which was surprising because Nathan doesn't _do_ homework.

 _Ah ha, emails._ Max clicked around and gave the page a refresh. The most recent emails were from …

 _Daddy Prescott?_

 _Probably Nathan asking for more money … or he reached his credit limit … Bastard._

As the inbox loaded and opened, Max immediately knew how mistaken she was.

 **From: Sean Prescott**

 **To: Nathan Prescott**

 **Nate, I know this has been a stressful week and your mother and I are here to talk if need be. Just call my new admin and she'll make an appointment for you. I also took care of your suspension. Like I take care of the rest of your shit. Nate, you know I need you to be calm and quiet with my new development underway. I can't honestly understand why you endure to be an unceasing fuck up. The Prescott's have a lot on their plates; we do not need a disgrace.**

 **Your mother told me you've run out of your prescriptions yet again. What the hell do you do with them all? Pop a few on the hour? You're lucky Doctor Bill and I were old desk mates, otherwise he would not be pulling the endless amount of strings that he persists to pull for you.**

 **Speaking of pulling strings, why have I been billed for a one-way ticket from Express Airlines? I have yet to fathom who the fuck you think you are. Money is certainly not an issue; nonetheless, purchases such as these cannot be made what with the development being processed. Scandals are what the press feeds on. You know that, son. Expensive or not, I quite honestly don't care. I just need you to not decay my business.**

 **Your mother and I send our best. Be calm, be composed. I will not ask you twice.**

 **Don't fuck it up, son.**

 **Your Father**

 _Holy crap!_ Max thought to herself after she quickly read through the email.

 _Oh man, Sean Prescott might be Nathan's real problem. Talk about daddy issues._

 _No wonder Nathan's so fucked up …_

Still surprised, she closed the email. Max did not have the time to linger, so with wide eyes, the brunette kept searching.

Documents? School stuff, music files, random documents. Nothing there.

Recycle Bin? Ditto.

 _Hmm, if I were a rich boy fuck up, where would I keep my favourite dirt …_

She opened up the browser again and clicked on the yellow star.

 _The favourites folder, obviously. Bingo._

The folder was heavily populated. Max skimmed through the saved websites. It was somewhat surprising, but not really. Nathan had a hell of a lot of sick fetishes. And it showed.

 _Bondage videos?_ Max thought to herself as she scrolled down the endless list, inundated by his many, _many_ saved BDSM videos.

Finally, the brunette reached the end of the favourites list, her eyes falling to the most recent saved sites – and her heart falling with it.

 _What. The. Fuck._

 **Wiki How: How to Trap a Female**

 **AnonForum Editorial: Knocking Out a Knock-Out and Getting Away With It.**

 **How-To: DIY Flunitrazepam [Date Rape]**

 **Ask: Question closed. What is the best kind of rope to tie someone up w/o leaving marks?**

Max suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Everything just felt surreal. Site after site, all similar in nature.

 _This can't be real._

Max skimmed over the links once more, as if the third time would sink in. To an extent, it did. Little by little, the sites brought back the all-too recent memories of Chloe's pain, Chloe's hatred.

A thin sheet of sweat began forming alongside Max's face. A throbbing headache began to pound. The brunette swallowed in an attempt to get rid of the lump in her throat. In one angry movement, she closed down the browser and got up from the desk in disgust. She couldn't take it. Her hands were shaking and her face turned the colour of dirty, greyed cotton.

Max wiped her sticky, cold hands on her pants and looked around the room anxiously. Despite feeling utterly and completely filled to the brim with disgust, she couldn't help but focus on the voice echoing in the back of her head.

 _It's not enough, Max._

Max's eyes darted around the darkened room.

" _It's for a science project, Principal Wells" … "I was doing research, calm down" … "I wanted some tips on my dark photography series project" …_

Max smacked herself with tons of potentially believable things that Nathan would say to cover his ass.

 _No. it's not enough. Browser history is damn sketchy, but it doesn't prove anything. Daddy Prescott could easily bust Nathan out from this. Bastard._

Max let out a sharp exhale and tucked her hair behind her ears.

 _Okay Max, you need to keep going. There HAS to be something on Nathan. There has to._

She looked around and stepped up to the bookshelf. Max ran her shaky finger across the tons of DVD boxes, skimming over the titles.

 _Horror._ All of a sudden, a cold shiver ran through Max's body. But she ignored it, thinking that Chloe was right outside in the hallway, and kept searching. She found solace in Chloe having her back.

She eyed the row of framed photographs beside the DVDs, the grey light reflecting on the glass of the pictures. More portraits lined the wall. Girls in bondage, dead animals, black and white, dark overtones, knots, bonds, and more black and white.

 _Such a creep … Nathan likes his tortured subjects_ way _too much …_

Max brushed her hair out of her face, the sheen on her face getting wiped along with it. It was too quiet. Max could hear her own breathing.

Nothing. Max walked back to the centre of the room with feelings of anxiousness and pressure heaving down on her body. Time was running out, ironically, and she hadn't found anything concrete.

Max's eyes darted from the projector back to the bookshelf, to Nathan's crisply-made bed, to his drawers, back to the desk –

 _The drawer._

Max rushed to the side of the room and yanked the top drawer open. Clothes were neatly folded in two separate piles. Nothing much to see … except for the tiny white piece of paper poking from underneath the folds of two maroon cashmere sweaters.

 _What's this? Getting sloppy … I hope._

Max lifted the sweaters, shivering as the back of her hand brushed along the softness of the sweater. The sweater that lined Nathan's chest. Max felt unsettlingly nervous. She quickly grabbed the sole sheet of paper, fumbling to open it and almost dropping it in the process.

It was a crumpled piece of paper that seemed to be torn out of a notebook. Max's eyes darted from word to word.

 **HEY ASSHOLE**

 **we need to talk**

 **or I'm going to tell**

 **everybody what**

 **you DID**

 **and you're going to**

 **pay motherfucker**

 _That is so Chloe …_

The message was underlined in a messy chicken scratch writing that could only be Chloe's. It must have been _the_ note that Chloe threatened Nathan to meet with in the Blackwell bathroom.

Max folded it back to how she found it and lifted the sweater to shove the note back where she found it. Except …

Except there was more.

Max pulled out the visibly glossy rimmed sheet which she immediately recognized as a photograph.

 _Oh my GOD … Chloe …_

Max visibly gasped at the horrifying scene. Chloe was curled up on the floor in fetal position. Someone standing above her obviously took the photo. Her beanie was beside her on the floor and her mouth was slightly gaped open. She was fully clothed, but there was definitely struggle or resistance going on before this photo was taken. Broken furniture cracked on the floor beside her and Max could partially see a spilled over trashcan with its contents cluttering the ground in the photo's corner.

It didn't take two seconds for Max to put two and two together.

 _She was right._ Max let out a distressed sigh, wishing there was something more she could have done. The whole idea of the asshole drugging her somehow and assaulting her was just ... an idea. This just made it so much more real. _Oh Chloe …_

Max was just about to shove the photograph in her book bag when her eyes fell on the night stand beside the bed.

 _The broken lamp. It must be it._

It looked just like any other bedside lamp. Only someone specifically looking for the crack would see it. Max was filled with revulsion, which was quickly replaced with a bit of relief. She was glad she was the one seeing this all and _not_ Chloe. Max lightly traced the crack in the lamp shade with her forefinger as she foresaw how Chloe would have torn his room apart bit by bit had she been the one in here.

 _I would too, if I didn't actually think of …_

 _The greater mission._

 _Focus, Max._

Max then backed away from the bed, immediately feeling dirty or … unclean in some way. She wanted to leave. She was getting worried and Chloe had been out there for quite some time.

Still, she was feeling discouraged. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but she didn't find whatever it was in a cracked lamp, messed up websites, or a photo of Chloe on the floor which could be interpreted in any way the Prescotts wished.

 _The Prescotts could mold the minds of anyone in this town with their money, ugh._

She was just about to turn around, get out of the dorm, find Chloe and get the hell out of there …

Until her foot stepped on something and nearly fell over. Luckily, the tiny cylinder was much too small to do anything worse other than merely throw Max off balance.

… And peak her interest.

 _What is this?_ Max thought to herself as she bent down to examine the object of her stumbling.

The tiny cylinder was not merely a tiny cylinder.

 _An empty prescription pill box._

Max recalled how Sean Prescott, Nathan's father, had complained about Nathan's … overuse … of his prescription pills. The floor underneath the small prescription box had a few little white pills peppering the floor, right beside a short, yet wide, bottle of alcohol.

 _Chasing them down with liquor ..._

Max shook her head and furrowed her brows.

 _Damn, they sure as hell do not seem to be helping him._

She got down on her hands and knees and began collecting the small, white pills in the palm of her hand. They had spilled onto the floor when she almost tripped on the prescription box and was intending on putting them back and leaving the room exactly as she found it. She quickly pinched the scattered pills back in the box, one white pill after the other. She thought she had gotten all of them until she saw one that must have rolled across the room and under the couch. Max swiftly crawled to the last remaining escapee when her hand brushed along a few scuff marks.

 _What the hell are all these marks on the floor?_

They were faintly carved into the floor, as if something heavy was dragged. She could have easily missed them had she not felt them with her fingers.

Max snatched the last white tablet from the foot of the couch. She fumbled closing the prescription box and shoved it back to where she found it.

She crawled back to the couch. The marks were indented right in front of the foot of the couch. The couch must have been pulled out to make them.

Max was immediately revisited by a wave of nausea. It could most certainly be nothing, and she knew that. But a little part of her knew that Nathan was hiding something. And this was it.

 _Let's find out what you're hiding, Prescott._

Max's mind immediately flashed to what it could be. She pictured Nathan tying up girls to the furniture, their screams silenced and only their yanks, pulls and struggles remaining. She pictured girls trying to run, grabbing at the couch. She pictured girls tied to the furniture, wrists reddening from the rope.

She almost threw up right then and there. But when she bent over and peeked underneath the couch, she didn't find much. At least, she couldn't see much. She shoved her hand in her book bag and grabbed her cell phone. With a quick touch of the button, her phone's built-in flashlight was shining underneath the couch in seconds.

 _What ... is ... that?_

She could see the corner of something poking out from the very back. Whatever it was, it was at the very back crevice of the couch – tape to the outside perhaps?

 _Wait a minute ..._

Max placed her cell phone on the floor and got up, reaching for the edge of the couch. She pulled back the couch just enough to be able to glance at the back of the sofa, where a sole journal was taped to the couch's backing.

She reached her hand behind the sofa and tugged the tape off, freeing the spiral grey notebook.

 _What is this ..._

Max held up the old, beat up notebook and examined it. She turned it over and noticed the bunch of loose papers that were sticking out of it. The notebook was bound by a large, beige elastic.

 _Wowzers, I can't see Nathan keeping a diary._

The more Max looked at the notebook, the more she thought it looked like less of a notebook and more like a rugged folder holding a stash of other loose papers – some torn, others bent. She could tell there were a few photographs tucked within the pages of the book, their edges peeking out from the notebook's pages.

Tugging the elastic off, Max centered the notebook on the flat of her arm and opened it. The first thing she saw was not surprising. A small packet of unidentifiable pills were taped onto the inside of the notebook's cover. Max shuddered at the thought of them being some sort of roofies or related drug that Nathan uses. Max ran her fingers over the packet, disgusted at their possible use. Around the taped baggie was a ton of messy, scratched up scribbles and doodles on the cover. Most of them were unreadable but one thing was for sure. They were angry. Angry and rushed. Max remembered the note they found in Principal Wells' office the night her and Chloe sneaked it. The _Rachel in the dark room_ scribbles were almost akin to the style on Nathan's notebook. That was for sure.

On the very first page was what seemed like a letter.

 _At least ... it_ was _a letter,_ Max thought to herself as she opened up the folded letter.

 _To Daddy Prescott?_ Max glimpsed over the letter. It seemed to be nothing more than a draft. Unfinished, fragmented.

 **Father,**

 **I'm not going to bore you with the bullshit. You probably don't have time to listen to it all anyways. You probably won't even read this. Just get your dumbass admin to summarize the main points to you. Asshole.**

 **I'll just get straight to the point. You hate me, I get it. I fucking get it. But I swear to you, you'll never hit me again. Punching me out is something you** _ **do**_ **have fucking time for, right?**

 **And then you get pissed off at me for getting into shit. Yes, I get into fights. I OD and I fucking like it. So much that I do it to other people. And yes, I like fucked up photography. Hurting others and capturing it. Remembering I** _ **can**_ **. Remind you of someone? Like the sadistic prick you are.**

 **You think I'm a hopeless failure of a fuck up, right? I tried to be good. But where do you fucking think I learned to be like this? Who fucked me up so much other than you? So congratulations, this is all you.**

 **You pay for school, you bought me the car, you give me unlimited funds and you expect me to worship you and do whatever the fuck you ask? Sorry, no way in hell.**

 **Well you don't have to worry about that anymore because**

 **Well I'll never have to fuck it u**

The letter stopped abruptly. Nathan never finished it. The last sentences were scratched out angrily.

 _Holy crap._ Max had no words. Not that it excused anything, but Max felt guilty all of a sudden. She traced the scratched out sentences.

 _Maybe this was never meant to be sent to Nathan's dad. Maybe he just wanted to vent ..._ Max almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

She folded the unfinished letter back up and turned the page. The next few 'pages' were a bunch of tests and exams.

Chemistry, biology, physics, history. All failed.

 _Hidden from Daddy Prescott, figures._

Max hastily flipped through the school stuff until she got to a series of photographs wrapped with an elastic band and shoved in the crease of the notebook. Max thumbed through them quickly.

 _Black and white photos of dead animals. Side of the road, in a park, alongside the beach._

 _Poor things._

Max tucked away the photos and kept sorting through the loose papers. Most of them were printed emails from his father, some from his sister, and none from his mother. Some had doodles on them. Most of them resentful, all of them in black ink.

Max rushed through them knowing she did not have anywhere close to enough time to read them all. A few more failed school assignments, a sticky note with the hyperlink for Kate's video, a prescription from his doctor.

Near the back of the notebook, Max came across a ripped up menu from the Two Whales Diner. Max wondered why Nathan would have a menu hidden away in the crevices of his secret journal when she saw the phone number scribbled in the corner.

 **541-263-9980 frank 4 tranqs + roofies**

 _Bingo._

 _Frank must be his dealer. That's_ not _surprising._

 _All the more reason to pay him a visit today. Chloe still has to pay him back. Maybe we can use that to our advantage and only give it to him if ... if he spill dirt on Nathan._

She turned over the menu. Her fingers brushed against something stuck to the back.

A post-it note was stuck to the backside of the menu. It was a small list. Nathan's writing, nonetheless. The list read off as a bunch of names. Max didn't know what they were, but it was quite obvious that they were a list of drugs. Probably hard drugs, too.

Some had check marks beside their names, as if it was some sort of disturbing grocery list for the ultimate druggie.

Max turned over the menu and the post-it note and went on. She began rushing now, her fingers fumbling through the more miscellaneous or illegible loose papers. She knew she was close to overstaying her welcome. Really close. Chloe could only watch the door for so long before someone came into the dorm. Classes must be ending soon and people would be heading back.

Max rushed turning over the pages when the corner of a glossy paper nicked her finger. Max squinted to read the writing that was cut off at the bottom.

 _"–achel"_

 _Photo paper?_

Max thumbed the corner and turned the pages to a photograph. At least, what was left of a photograph.

 _Oh my dog._ The feathered blue earring was evident. She'd seen it a hundred times before in the missing posters around town.

 _Rachel, holy shit, it's you._

 _And ..._

The photo was ripped in half, right down the centre. But it wasn't fully ripped. It was as if the person was angry and began to tear it but decided against it at the last minute, leaving the photo partially torn.

 _Nathan?_

The rip ran right through Nathan's face. The photograph had the words _me + rachel_ written at the bottom of the photo's white border.

 _No way. No way in hell._

It was a selfie. It was a reasonably _happy_ selfie. Rachel was the one taking the photo, her arm extended outwards holding the camera. A lit blunt entangled in her fingers halfway up to her mouth. Nathan had his arm wrapped around Rachel's shoulders with a drink in his hands.

 _Rachel hung out with him?!_

The flash was bright, so it wasn't the easiest figuring out where they were or what was going on. They were at a party, though. That much was obvious.

 _A Vortex party maybe?_

 _Oh, Rachel._

All of a sudden, Max flinched as she heard the front entrance slam open. Nathan's dorm was far from the main doors, but the walls were paper thin.

 _Keep going, Max!_

She rapidly turned over the photo, in hope to find more.

... A ton more.

A series of photos populated the next few pages of the notebook. Most of them looked like they were previously crumbled up but then flattened out from being inside the notebook. None of them ripped, however. Nathan and Rachel partying, Rachel's hands raised up as her light brown hair covered her face. Nathan and Rachel taking shots. Rachel getting hazy, her eyes half-lidded and bloodshot. Rachel ...

 _Holy crap._

Rachel passed out on the floor. Nathan taking a selfie with her unconscious body. Another selfie. And another. And anoth–

Max flinched. Muffled voices from outside the dorm echoed in the hallway. Chloe's? It was hard to tell.

 _No no no no NO!_

Max jerked up, the notebook and all its contents almost spilling out of her hands.

 _You're_ so _close, Max!_

Max reached the last photo of Rachel. She was totally knocked out. The glossy photos had heated scribbles on it. Black, scratchy ink covering her peaceful face.

Max fumbled as she turned over the last photo in hurried disgust. She had reached the end of the series of photos. One last thing remained.

 _A letter?_

In a rush, Max opened the paper, tightly folded three times. It looked more like a stream of consciousness than a letter. It wasn't written to anyone in particular from what Max could tell. It wasn't as neat as the letter to Sean Prescott. No, this one was much messier. Harsh, stressed font cluttered the paper. Random scrawled poems. Half-finished sentences.

Max quickly began reading, her eyes anxiously scanning the writing.

 _Oh man, it's_ all _about Rachel!_

 **miss amber, you didn't think you could just**

 **Rach, you should have told me about that prick Frank who**

 **Bad Rachel, looking so angelic when you're**

 **but guess who I get my crank from? the exact kind I use to show you who's in control. funny how things work out when**

A voice rang from outside the dorm.

"Fuck off!"

Chloe's.

It was loud and clear, the thirst for destruction evident in her voice.

 _No! Not yet!_

Max kept going, trying to sponge up as much information as she could before she had to get the hell out of there.

 **tear you up, you bitch**

 **Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel**

 **I see the way you fucking look at me**

Max wasn't even done reading half the letter. It was much too hard to read among the scratches, the scribbles, the sketches.

She heard a muffled voice, angry.

 _Oh god. Nathan's._

She had to go.

Right now.

Max stuffed the letter back into the notebook and slipped the elastic back on, fully intending to take Nathan's secrets with her. Straight to the police. As soon as she got out of here.

Her hands were shaking and she was on edge.

Rushing, she clutched the notebook in her arms and was just about to rush out the door when she noticed her cellphone.

Still on the floor, where she had left it before. Right beside the indented scratches by the couch.

Max did a double take and jolted back to get her phone. She could _not_ leave it there. In one rapid movement, Max aggressively bent down to grab her cellphone.

When she felt herself lose her grip on Nathan's book, Max fumbled. As if in slow motion, she grappled as if wrestling with the air, the book evading her grip.

Nathan's notebook, which she thought she clutched securely, slid out of her hand, hitting the floor with a loud snap.

" _Crap!_ " The curse word scraped along Max's throat as she lunged to pick up the fallen evidence, accidentally kicking it even further away.

Max watched in horror as it skid across the floor.

Under the bed.

 _Way_ under the bed. She heard the faint slam of the book hitting the furthest wall underneath Nathan's bed.

 _Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!_ Max cursed herself under her breath as she rushed to the bedside.

"Way to go, Max!" She cursed between her grinding teeth. She was just about to drop to her knees when she heard the voice again.

Nathan, for sure.

Less muffled this time.

As if they were closing in.

"What are you doing in my dorm hall?!"

Fast to follow up, Chloe snapped back with anger treading her voice, "What are YOU doing in your dorm hall, asshole? Max got your prick ass suspended!"

 _Chloe!_

 _Craaappp!_

Max dropped down on her hands and knees, shoving her hand underneath the narrow underside. Too far away. Wincing in pain, Max shoved her shoulders up against the bed frame as far as she could.

No luck. The notebook could be miles away.

Max's stomach sank, anchoring, in a panic as she realized that it was much too far away to reach it _right this moment_.

 _What to do, Max, what do DO?_

Max knew that she'd have to get on her hands and stomach to pull it out. Something she did not have time for right now. She had to get to Chloe.

Immediately, she told herself that she could come back later.

 _Right. Come back LATER, Max._

 _You have to go! Now!_

She'd read the letter more carefully when they come back later for it. The Vortex party is tonight and Nathan would be there, after all, which means he wouldn't be in his _room_.

Max pushed herself up off the ground, grabbed her phone off the floor and darted out the door.

What she saw next was intense.

Nathan was closing in towards Chloe, yelling profanities, and Chloe was backing up in the hallway. The space between her and the wall was diminishing fast. But Chloe was not backing down. She looked pissed.

They must have not heard the click of Nathan's door shutting – it was probably too dull over the sound of their yelling.

"You better get the fuck out of here bitch, before I ruin you," Nathan spat out, his voice sharp and piercing. His arms were outraised as if to dare Chloe to hit him. His gaze was psychotic.

Chloe yelled right back. "You mean before your _daddy_ ruins me?" Snarky laugher. Nathan's lip curled up in a snarl.

 _No!_

Max did not want to start up anything with Nathan. Not now. Not yet.

Max ran out towards the ruckus in the hallway.

The ruckus that Chloe was fuelling. Fighting fire with fire. Flame to the gasoline.

Max dashed to Chloe's side, grabbing her arm aggressively and slightly yanking her back.

Nathan's eyes flashed towards her, fuming.

Spotted.

"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan exploded.

"Yo, you better shut that rich boy mouth!" Chloe yelled back, leaning back as if she were a coil about to be let loose. It didn't take Max long to realize that Chloe was about to dive. Her hand fisted and ready to impact Nathan's face.

 _NO! … She'll get in so much troub–_

"Chloe!" Max found herself interjecting as she clutched onto Chloe's arm and yanked her back. As if by instinct, Max raised her other hand, channeling her thoughts into stopping time.

The world stopped spinning, stopped rushing past her, and came to a stop.

Her raised hand was shaking.

Realizing that her girlfriend had frozen the moment, Chloe's fist dropped by her side and she turned towards Max. She was angry. Mostly at Nathan, but somewhat at Max.

"MAX! What the fuck was that?! I-I had your back!" Chloe exclaimed in a panic.

Max kept holding onto her by the arm. She couldn't let go, otherwise Chloe wouldn't come with her in time stops and rewinds. Her arm was tight, flexed, ready to lunge. About to lunge.

Or _was_ about to lunge, that is.

"Chloe! You –"

"Look Max," Chloe turned her face away, ice cold, "I know you care for me and shit but _I fucking got this_. I can take his ass. Make him feel sorry for even –"

Max shook her head quickly. "Wait, you don't understand –"

"No Max, YOU don't understand. You don't think I can take him. I get it."

"CHLOE! Listen to me! I found shit. In his-in his room."

Chloe's face softened. But she kept staring outwards, right at Nathan. Frozen in time. Leaning forward, predatorily. Face twisted up, contorted, nostrils flaring, eyes bulging.

But that didn't matter. It was just her and Max. Right now. Their own little bubble. And Chloe _had_ to know what she was up against.

Max continued, "You were right. Fuck, Chloe. He's a giant addict. I'm almost sure. And … he's connected to you."

The blue-haired girl softened at the confirmation of what she already knew, hopeful of the evidence that Max must have found in his dorm. Her eyes following the minute piece of hope that Max was dangling in front of her.

After a few seconds of complete silence, Chloe finally said, "Boom Nathan. We got you by the balls, fucker."

Max bit her bottom lip. "And to … and to Rachel. I'm almost sure of it. He had some sketchy shit in his dorm, Chlo. I didn't get to see it all but I know he –"

To the sound of Rachel's name, Chloe softened as if touched by rose petals. But it was quickly replaced by fire. Scorching hot. Max had hit a nerve.

"Fucking prick," Chloe said under her breath. She furrowed her eyebrows and slanted her eyes. She grew tense, her body growing with white hot rage.

"I'm … I'm almost certain," Max followed up, looking Chloe straight in the eyes. Max could feel her girlfriend tensing up. She felt her girlfriend's arm tighten up underneath her own grip.

"Then … why the fuck did you stop time, Max?" Chloe had it out for Nathan now – even more so than before. For her, for Rachel. Mess with her, okay. But mess with the people she cares about and it's on.

Max's large doe eyes looked up at Chloe, full of uncertainty. "Because, Chlo," the brunette softly said, "I couldn't get my hands on anything. I-I suck … but I promise you, Chloe. We'll come back for it. Fighting Nathan won't solve anything. He would … Just, we wouldn't stand a chance against him without any hard evidence."

Chloe's lips tightened. "Fuck that, Max! What, you find all this shit on him and expect me to walk away? Fuck. That. Hella fuck that!"

 _Crap, Max! You just expected to tell Chloe that this asshole was involved with_ her angel _and that's it? Walk away? How could you be so stupid?!_

Max pursed her lips in frustration. "NO! No. It's just that we've got nothing solid. _Yet_ , Chlo. We have to play this smart. And I know … I know you can't just leave it be. After knowing what he did ... to her. To you. We just need to play it out a little bit more. That's all, Chlo. A little bit more." Max tried to make contact with Chloe's eyes, but they were drifting. Staring Nathan down. Angry. But Max went on. "We need to see Frank to get more info on him. He's his dealer so we'll make him spill. I'm sure of it."

Chloe let out a loud Ha! – certainly not because Max was comical. But because Max was sounding more and more ridiculous by the minute. "So you just want me to walk away? You're probably right but I'm sorry Max, no way. Nathan is hella getting his."

Max didn't completely expect Chloe to give in. Impulsive? Yes. Irrational? Definitely. But undetermined? No way, not when it comes to Rachel.

Chloe wanted her revenge. Right now. And despite Max's attempts, Max was water and Chloe was fire. Except that Max was more of a sprinkler and Chloe was pretty much an unyielding, colossal flame.

Max bit her bottom lip before she finally said in a quiet voice, "I … I know, Chlo."

To the sound of Max's undemanding voice giving in, Chloe's angry face molded from determined rage to something more … open.

Her piercing blue eyes softened at first before growing wider. Brighter.

"Wait. Max," Chloe said carefully. "What if … what if you let me riot his ass but then you …"

Pause.

"I know you're trying to save up your time rewind, but what if I take him out and you rewind back? It's just that … I fucking _need_ this, Max. For Rachel."

Max could see Chloe's eyes beginning to tear. But Chloe went on.

"I could hurt him for a while and you rewind back and no one will ever know it happened. I just, I need, I just can't see him get away, I just can't …"

 _Crap, Chlo._ Max felt Chloe's pain. Her hatred.

 _I'm so sorry you ended up this way and I hate to contribute to this but …_

 _... But I get it. I love you and I get you._ And she really did. She understood. She couldn't bring herself to not give Chloe this.

 _Oh man, how can I even say no? Knowing I would hurt you._

After a long pause, Max finally responded. In a soft voice almost inaudible, she said, "Okay."

Chloe's mouth slightly gaped open before turning into a livid, sly smirk. Almost excited to unleash her rage onto Nathan.

Slowly, Max closed her outraised hand and lowered it down. This most definitely wasn't her definition of doing the right thing. But this was for Chloe.

 _For Chloe._

The world began to move again and before she knew it, Chloe wound back and smashed her fist to Nathan's un-expecting face. Like a rogue freight train.

Again and again. It all happened to fast. Her knuckles clashing into his nose. His head snapping back from the unexpected impact, the sting of her fist.

His knees buckled and he lost balance. He went down, slow, slow, slow motion.

But then Chloe jumped on top of him, grabbing his crumpled defensive hands away from his face and continuing to crash her fists into his face, her knuckles colliding with his probably-broken nose. It all happened so fast. Lightning fast. The sound of Chloe's fists, thunder strong.

" _Chloe_!" Max yelled as she lunged towards Chloe, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her off. It all came crashing back at her. What she just let her girlfriend do. Immediately, she grabbed Chloe by the collarbone, holding her back, and raised her hand up.

And rewound.

Max barely had the chance to think through what just _happened_ , but one thing was for sure. That was it. Chloe got her fix. They needed to get out of here.

Rewind the dirty feeling of guilt away. Un-see what she just let Chloe do.

In just a few moments, Max watched everything in reverse. Blood returning to Nathan's nose. Nathan rising from the floor, defensive arms dropped, brought back to a fuming psychotic dare.

Chloe hardly had any time to process anything until Nathan was right back in front of the two girls, arms outstretched, inviting a fight. Back to square one. His stance was angry again, daring her to fight him.

Max's head began to throb. She didn't know whether it was from rewinding or from what she just let happen.

She lowered her hand and time began up again.

"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan was wild. Max shot her eyes at Chloe. Her hands were still fisted and bloody. Ready to strike. For the second time.

But Max had to defuse this. Now.

She quickly stepped in front of Chloe and raised her hands, as if to submit.

"I-we have nothing. I was just here to see Warren and … and didn't know which room he was in. I have nothing of yours, I swear it, Nathan. You could check my bag and –"

But before she could even finish, Chloe lunged out from behind her. "You piece of shit Prescott! I know you did something to Rachel!"

Max drew her breath as she stumbled backwards, watching in horror as Chloe snapped her fist into Nathan's unexpected face. She watched the whole thing repeat in front of her for the second awful time.

The crack of her punch to his nose. The crash of his body falling from unbalance.

"Chloe! Stop!" Max heard herself shout, all to no avail.

She heard a muffled yell escape Nathan's mouth. His eyes shut tight, head turned away. Away from Chloe's rage.

Adrenaline. Chloe was fuelled by it. Seeing the source of her problems weak, under the rule of her fist. A hint of blood. And then a little more. The dark liquid trickling down, coating the underneath of his nose. It fuelled her. He deserved this and she fully took advantage of it. For herself, for Rachel. Rachel. Chloe's fist pounded down his jaw at the thought of Rachel.

Max's head was swimming. She did this.

 _But he goddamn deserved it!_ Max's head spun as everything happened so fast in front of her eyes.

 _For Chloe?_

Max lunged forward and grabbed Chloe, yanking her backwards.

 _But no one deserves THAT!_

One hand on Chloe's arm, gripping her backwards. One hand raising up, palm outraised. Eyes clenching.

 _Focus Max!_

Everything came to a halt for the second time around.

Before Chloe even had the chance to realize what she'd done, what she couldn't help herself from doing, Max yelled, "CHLOE! STOP!"

Max's eyes were wild and pleading.

Chloe looked down at her bloody knuckles. She uncurled her fist slowly, watching in shock how far she had gone.

Chloe turned towards Max. "Max, fuck ... I ... I'm sorry." She wiped the back of her hand on her pants and looked down at the crumpled Nathan below her.

Her face scrunched up. "But that dick deserved it."

Max followed her gaze down to the bloody mess at her feet but quickly turned her head away. "Chloe ..."

Chloe shook her head. "I went hella too far. I just ... couldn't stop myself. Asshole had it coming."

Max looked up at Chloe, no longer tense, no longer blinded by a blanket of fury. Chloe saw the worry in Max's large doe eyes. After a long pause of silence, Chloe let out a long exhale before saying, "Look, I don't know what happened. I got my fix but when I saw him back up again and I thought of Rachel, I just ... couldn't."

Max searched Chloe's eyes. "I know, Chlo. I get that. It's okay ... I did this for _you_."

Chloe let out a sigh. Her eyebrows pinched upwards in concern. "Thank you, Max. For real. I needed this out of my system." She reached out and gave Max a swift hug.

"Now let's get out of here before I fucking bawl my eyes out," Chloe remarked with a smirk on her face, along with a hint of honesty.

Despite the overwhelming pressure of what just happened, Max gave Chloe a small smile and nodded.

And for the last time, Max rewound.

Max and Chloe watched as everything reversed. Blood disappearing, the punches erased, the fear gone.

Max forced herself to keep rewinding. She squinted past her blurring vision, trying to see past the flooding lens of black and red. Past the pulse in her head.

Nathan rising back up in front of them, shock from the first hit fading, replaced by daring anger.

This time they were ready.

Both of them. And it was time to go.

Max felt she was on the verge of getting another one of those nosebleeds, but that didn't matter. She rewound far enough.

Abruptly, Max lowered her hand, bringing them back to where they were before the mess, pre-anger outburst Chloe.

Time began up again, everything playing as it should as if it were a broken record.

"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan yelled, for the third time.

Max was just about to jump to their defence when Chloe was already a step ahead of her.

"Dude, calm down! Max just went to find what's-his-face, Ape Boy Warren." Chloe gave Nathan a sly smirk, pushing aside his outstretched arms and walking past him nonchalantly.

Max went with it. "I honestly walked into the wrong dorm, Nathan. The dorm floor plan is fucked up and Warren's room is right across from yours."

Nathan lowered his arms and scoffed. "Beauty. A nosy bitch _and_ an idiot!"

Chloe arched her eyebrow. "Chill, Prescott –"

"It was an honest mistake," Max reassured calmly as she walked past Nathan towards Chloe, casually inching closer to the main doors.

 _Pleasepleaseplease be stupid enough to believe it._

Nathan turned around and let out a sarcastic jolt of laughter. "I'm _sure_ Wells will believe that, bitches."

Chloe scoffed. " _Yeah totally_ , right after he finds out that you saw us because you were in the dorms when you should be suspended and off Blackhell grounds. Right. Hella _great_ thinking, Prescott."

Nathan's lips tightened into a firm scowl and his eyes burned with frustration. "Yo fuck you! Who the fuck do you think they'll believe?"

Chloe grinned. "Well, Max probably. Only one here without a record." And with that, Chloe walked towards the door. Noticing that Nathan was definitely not following them, she calmly opened it. "Let's go Max. Don't waste your breath on Prescott territory."

Max started towards the blue-haired punk while cautiously eyeing Nathan. He had a snarky expression on his face. She heard him yell, "Yeah! Get the fuck out of my face!" then turn the corner and mutter to himself, "Fucking cunts ..." To her surprise, Nathan began walking down the hallway towards his door. He had apparently decided that they were not worth the hassle, to Max's astonishment. And to her delight. She didn't even care that he might go tell Wells at this point. She was just glad they got the hell out of there.

The girls walked out of the dorm and heard the click of the shutting doors behind them. They both acted calm and collected, but they were slightly terrified. Who knows what he could have done? You can't expect anything from Nathan. He could have had a gun and killed them right then and there.

As soon as Max stepped outside, she realized just how freaked she was. The cool afternoon breeze felt cold against her clammy skin and gave her a wave of shivers.

"Fuck yes. We made it, Bat Max," Chloe said as she jumped over all of the stairs in front of the entrance and strode towards the side of the building. Chloe seemed kind of okay ... considering what just happened. Max rushed behind Chloe, following quickly behind her. The front lawn was definitely emptier than before – to the girls' relief.

"Holy crap, Chlo. As if that happened ..." Max heard herself say under her breath. She was being honest. She really did have a hard time believing that a) they were right all along about Nathan, b) she let Chloe absolutely lose it on Nathan's ass, and c) they were actually getting away with it. They clandestinely snuck out of the dormitory grounds and made their way past Blackwell's front lawn. Empty, too. Minus a few unrecognizable students walking out of the pool hall after practice had just ended, Brooke fiddling with her drone and some random skaters hanging out off to the side.

Max allowed herself to relax a bit when she and Chloe had walked across the front lawn and off school grounds without anyone noticing or questioning them.

 _Wowzers_ , Max thought to herself, letting out a sigh of relief. The two walked in silence as they turned the corner, leaving Blackwell out of sight. They had to get back to Chloe's truck.

 _Chloe_.

 _How could I? Draining my time rewind for Chloe's need to kick Nathan's ass!_ Max frowned, but Chloe was already way up ahead of her. On the one hand, she regretted using it. She was annoyed with herself for listening to Chloe on using her power on something stupid. Thinking back, she thought of the many ways she could have put her time rewind to use.

Max thought how they'll have to return to Nathan's room later that night to find out the rest. _You could have used it to buy yourself more time and read the evidence on Rachel in Nathan's book ..._

 _But you wasted it on something stupid as Nathan getting his._

Overcome by guilt, there was a hint of reasoning. She thought of Kate. She thought of Chloe. She thought of Rachel.

 _She needed this_ , Max thought to herself. And for the sake of Chloe's sanity, it was worth it. She looked up ahead at Chloe digging the truck keys from her back pocket. Max thought that Chloe must have been really shaken up herself, judging by how fast she wanted to get out of there.

 _You would feel shitty too, Max, after just watching yourself lose control and beat someone to shreds!_

Max quickly ran to catch up to Chloe just as she was inserting the keys in the truck door.

"Chloe ..." Max said as she approached Chloe from behind and softly brushed her hand around Chloe's slim waist. To her touch, Chloe flinched and turned around.

"Max," Chloe said with a soft voice. She didn't _seem_ terribly affected by what just went down, but Max thought about how much Chloe liked to suppress and bottle up her feelings.

Max looked up at her girlfriend and bit her bottom lip, not knowing where to start.

Chloe smirked. "I know, I know. I'm a dummy with anger issues."

Max let out a soft giggle before saying, "I'm just glad we made it out. But what happened back there ... can't happen again, Chloe."

Chloe looked down at her scabby knuckles and nodded. "That makes two of us. It was hella ballsy but it coulda gone hella wrong ..."

"Yeah," Max agreed, "And this all solves nothing. We need to make sure there's actual accountability. Real accountability, not time-travel-beating-up-accountability."

Chloe nodded as she fiddled with the truck keys. "I know Mad Max. It solves fuck all. Except I feel pretty damn good now that that's out of my system." Classic Chloe smirk. Which quickly fell into a frown. "Just sucks balls that he still gets off free, Max. You know? After all that crap."

"We'll get him, Chlo. We'll get that journal thing of his and give it in the cops. It'll prove what he did to Rachel. It will. It has to."

Chloe tightened up and exhaled. She opened the truck door, crawled in and came back out with a cigarette in her mouth and a lighter in her hand. Bringing the flame to her lips, she took a long drag before finally blowing the bitter nicotine smoke in the air above them. She took the cigarette in-between her fingers before finally saying, "It just won't prove what he did to me. Fucker."

As much as she didn't want to believe it, Max heard some truth in that.

 _Oh Chloe._

 _I mean, the only 'proof' you have is ..._

"The baby," Max whispered.

Chloe took another drag of the cigarette. "What?"

"It's the strongest kind of proof."

Chloe arched an eyebrow. "Uh, earth to Max."

"You can _use_ the baby to bust Nathan. You can bust his ass, Chloe! If you go through a pat test to prove it was his and that he drugged you and did awful things to you ... you could get compensation! And-and use that to leave this dump!"

"Max, you know I'm not going through with it." Chloe looked numb. "I don't want anything to do with his dirty money. It's what almost got me killed that first day in the bathroom ..."

Max watched the smooth cigarette smoke curl around Chloe, reflecting in the electric blue of her eyes. They looked sad.

 _Max, you insensitive dumbass._ She instantly regretted even suggesting such a thing. Chloe undoubtedly saw the uncomfortable look of regret on Max's face, but she simply smiled as she took one last quick drag and flicked the cigarette stub.

"It's hella whatevs, Max. If I can't get justice, at least Rachel will. And your friend Kate."

"Yeah, I guess. We'll have to go to the Vortex party. Nathan, though suspended, won't miss it. That's for sure. And he might try to do it again to someone else." Max looked up at the familiar Arcadia Bay afternoon sky. It was getting late. "But first, let's pay a visit to Frank."

Chloe nodded, following her every word. "Good, let's get this over with. I have to pay him off anyways. The cash I took from Blackhell is in the back of the truck."

"And we can get him to confirm that he's Nathan's dealer and then get more dirt out of him, too."

Chloe climbed into the truck and Max got in from the passenger side. The bluenette inserted the keys into the ignition and turned up the radio. "Now let's get the fuck outie."

* * *

The two girls pulled up to the grimy sand banks near the water lining the outermost patch of forest. Garbage littered the sand and the 'No Parking' signs were bent and fallen over.

"Wow, this is literally the edge of Arcadia Bay," Max said, wide eyes taking in everything. There wasn't too much to see considering it was pretty much dark out. But from what she could see, Max didn't exactly feel the most comfortable.

Lots of sand, barren, empty. Except for Frank's RV in the distance.

"Figures this is where he hides out. Out of sight ..." Chloe said as she set the truck in Park and unbuckled her seatbelt.

After sneaking out of Blackwell, Chloe had called Frank. She still had his number so they managed to not fight for two minutes and set up a meeting location right away. Frank didn't hesitate to tell Chloe where to come. She had his money, after all.

The drive over wasn't too long either. It was a little rough, however. Chloe had to drive through a few jagged roads to actually get to where Frank sets up his RV. By the time they got there, the sun had pretty much set.

Max unbuckled her seatbelt. She decided to leave her book bag in the truck, just in case.

 _Oh yeah, this is_ so _not at all sketchy ..._

 _Just paying a visit to a drug dealer at night in the middle of nowhere ..._

 _Totally cool, Max._

Chloe reached behind her and pulled out the wad of cash from the back of the seat. Max watched her as she sat there looking nervous as hell.

Finally, after a long sigh, Chloe looked at the brunette. "Max, look. I need you to be the one to ask Frank about Nathan. I'm ... hella on edge the closer I get to that scumbag. I can't stand thinking that Rachel lied to me about this piece of shit. And knowing that he's the one that probably gave Nathan shit to drug me with ..."

Max nodded and ran her hand down the blue-haired girl's arm. "Chloe. Of course."

The two got out of the truck and began walking to the RV. The RV, dirty and beat up, was parked closer to the edge of the forest. As they got closer and closer, they could see Frank was sitting in a folded out lawn chair, his eyes closed, head leaning back, neck tattoos exposed as he smoked what could only be a joint. The smell was slightly familiar to Max and _definitely_ familiar to Chloe.

As they approached Frank, he raised his head and opened his eyes, grinding the end of the joint on the side of his lawn chair.

Chloe held the wad of money in front of him. "Dude, I have your black cash," she spat at him. She threw the stack over and Frank caught it in his lap unexpectedly.

He stood up and shoved the wad in the back of his pants. "Well, if it isn't Bonnie and ..." stifled laughter, "Bonnie? Or is it Bonnie and Clyde? You're probably the Clyde, huh Price? Being manly as fuck 'n all."

Chloe's jaw stiffened. "Yo you better shut your mouth, Bowers!"

Frank began to slowly saunter to his RV door, chuckling. "That's why Rachel liked me more, huh? I'm more of a man than you ever fucking will be," Frank laughed as he opened the door to his RV. "Oh, and thanks for the cash."

 _That's it?! No Max! So much for you talking to him!_

"H-Hey Frank?" Max heard herself say.

Frank turned around. His smirk was dangerous and his eyes were bloodshot. "Hm, I remember you. The girl with enough balls to shoot me. What the fuck do you want?" he demanded.

Max stepped closer to Frank nervously. "Well, um, since we kept our side of the bargain, we were wondering if ..."

 _If you could spill the beans ...? Hah._

 _Max, what the fuck. Focus!_

"... If you could tell us about Nathan."

Frank arched his eyebrow and shut the RV door, apparently deciding to actually see where this goes. "Nathan? That Prescott rich kid?"

"We know you're his dealer," Max said firmly, channeling the last bit of courage she could find. Chloe nodded.

Frank walked forward and sucked at his teeth. "What of it?"

Max refused to back away. "Did he seem ... off to you? Or talk about things he does with his ... purchases from you?"

Frank glared at Max and Chloe as if to analyze whether he could trust them. "Why should I tell you two Blackwell bitches?"

"Because –" Max began.

 _Just tell him. It's bound to go public sooner than later._

"– We think he drugs girls and then takes advantage of them," Max divulged.

Frank raised an eyebrow and scoffed after muttering, "That perverted asswipe rich boy" under his breath. After a moment's pause, he looked straight at Max. "Me and Nathan used to get high together. You know, pass along a joint or two while he comes to pick up his poison. He would talk about doing shit to girls but I thought he was fucking with me. No way would a rich kid pull that shit off. Too much to lose and all that shit."

Max felt like a weight had been pulled off of her, only to be replaced by a larger, much heavier weight.

"What kind of things did he say?" Max waited for a response but could see Frank's hesitation. "Frank, this is important. Please."

"He joked about doin' shit to Chloe,"

Chloe flinched.

"– some Katie girl,"

 _Kate!_

"– and Rachel ... but the fuck if I will ever believe that. Especially Rach. I was seeing her so he'd never actually fuck with my girl."

 _Yeah right, you would think._

"So ... Do you sell him stuff like date rape a lot?"

Frank chuckled slyly and only after a short pause he said, "He said he takes them to help him sleep or some shit. He gave me this goddamn sob story about how he always runs out of his insomnia meds and crap. Says it helps knock him out. Thought it was a load of bullshit but fuck it, he's probably just a rich boy junkie covering his tracks."

 _He definitely_ is _a druggie!_

Frank scratched the side of his neck and went on, "Anyways, he's comin' round tonight and wants another order so if you can go the hell away before you scare off my customers ..."

All of a sudden, Chloe stepped out and burst, "So he could do it again! That motherfucker!"

"The fuck you talking about?" Frank spat at Chloe, scowling.

"You fucking piece of shit! You gave Nathan the drugs to knock his ... his _victims_ out and then abuse them? Do you realize what a sick prick that makes you? You're giving him the _fucking tool_ to do this to helpless girls. What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?"

"Calm the fuck down, Price. I do my job. Not up to me what he does with it. He could shove them up his ass if it were up to me. I don't give a fuck."

Chloe clenched her teeth. "He is a PSYCHO! A fucking psycho. And you helped him!"

"Look bitch," Frank angrily yelled, "You should have come here alone if you have crap to say to me about the way I run shit."

Chloe let out a loud cackle and threw up her hands. She couldn't believe this. "And you don't even give a fuck!"

"Why should I? The only thing I give a shit about is myself and mine ... and you getting the fuck out of my face!"

"Calm down, Frank! Let's just talk it out –" Max interjected.

Frank whipped his head to her. "Don't you _ever_ tell me what to do, Blackwell bitch!" He lunged forward, grabbing Max by the shoulder and yanking her backwards. "Get it bitch? Get it?!"

As if it all happened in a single flash, Chloe bolted ahead, pushing Frank off of Max. "Step the _fuck_ back!"

Max stepped back and watched in shock as Frank looked at his arm that was pushed by Chloe, smiling. He slowly reached into his back pocket and brought out a switch blade. Calmly, he said, "How do you like my knife, kid?"

In the span of seconds, he charged at Chloe and jerked the knife. The flash of rusty steel. Closing the space between them, digging it into Chloe.

With wide eyes, Chloe instinctively grabbed at the wound in her side, her white tank stained by crimson. The searing pain was unreal, the cold burn of the knife jerking through her whole body.

Max gasped, her hands raised to her mouth. "NO!" She wanted to yell, but her throat tightened and nothing came out. She watched Frank psychotically smirk as he examined the blade tainted by blood and look her way. Chloe clenched her eyes shut and bent over, a small stream of blood trickling through her fingers.

She couldn't.

Not again.

She immediately raised her hand and concentrated.

And she rewound.

The headache came instantly.

The pounding, the heavy throbbing hit her much faster this time.

But she pushed herself, past the blood red vision, past the pulsing, past the aching pounding.

She knew she couldn't push herself much further. She felt the slow trickle of the nosebleed, but she kept pushing until she felt she was going to run out of air and pass out.

She let her hand fall down against her side.

And resumed time.

Her vision cleared, hardly. But just enough to see Chloe.

 _She's okay._

 _She's ... okay._

"– he's ccomin' round tonight and wants another order so if you can go the hell away before you scare off my customers ..." Max heard Frank say.

 _Need to ... stop Chloe ..._

All of a sudden, Chloe stepped out and burst, "So he could do it again! That motherfucker!"

"The fuck you talking about?" Max heard Frank spit at Chloe for the second time.

Before she could let anything go on, she swiftly latched onto Chloe and raised her hand.

One last time.

"Chlo..."

"Max?! You're bleeding!" Chloe turned around to face the brunette at the realization that she had paused time yet again. Something was wrong. She pushed herself too far, Chloe thought to herself in a panic.

Max concentrated on holding it. Her fingers were shaking in the air, outraised. Holding the time freeze. The throbbing and blindness diminished since she was not actually forcing herself to turn back time, but they were still present. And aching.

"Listen, Chloe, I can tell you for a fact that this will _not_ go well."

Chloe's face grew worrisome as she wiped the blood underneath Max's nose. "Max, I should have known you would be kind and rewind." She exhaled slowly. "So tell me exactly what I need to do here."

Max tried her hardest to concentrate on Chloe. Her eyes.

"You ... won't like this, but please watch your mouth. You have zero social skills in this situation and you will piss Frank off immediately."

"No man, I don't like this at all ... but I trust you. And girl if anything happens, you better rewind fast."

Max let out a soft smile as if to promise that she would even though she very well knew that she couldn't quite possibly do that again.

Lowering her hand, time came back to her.

"I said ... what the fuck you talkin' about?" Frank spat out impatiently.

Chloe stepped forward and slightly raised both of her hands, as if to signal innocent surrender. She meant nothing by it. At least, she wanted Frank to know that.

"Nothing, dude. Nothing. He's just a fucking whiny rich kid." Chloe looked up at Frank. "K, you have your money. We gotta dip. Let's go, Max."

Chloe slowly turned around and eyed Max. Walking on eggshells.

"Yeah, get out of my sight, Price. And your damn bodyguard there with the lady balls," Frank muttered as he opened the door to his RV and started climbing. "Send my regards to the Prescott kid. And remind him to come pick up his order for tonight ..."

Chloe tensed up, but said not one word. She kept walking.

And he was gone. Back in his RV.

Max felt a wave of relief overcome her as she and Chloe sped back to the truck. Away from what could have gone very, very wrong.

Somehow, the pounding in her head faded, along with the blurring, distorted vision.

Or maybe it was still there, but Max was too focused on getting out of there alive that she just didn't notice.

They both got into the truck and sat in silence before Chloe finally said, "Damn, Max. It took like all I had to shut the fuck up with Frank back there."

 _Ohh, I know how it feels to strain, my dear, impulsive Chloe Price._

Max let out a chain of giggles as she ran her hand down her burning face. "Trust me, Chlo, I know. But at least we confirmed what we suspected."

 _And thank god you're here. Thank. God._

 _I can't lose you again._

Chloe nodded as she shoved the keys into the ignition. "So I guess this means we should probs head back to Blackhell?"

"Yeah, the Vortex party will be starting soon and I'm sure –"

Max stopped in her tracks.

 _What was that?_

 **BOOM!**

 _Thunder?_

"What the hell?" Max urged up in her car seat. "It was fine just a moment ago ..."

 **BOOMMM!** The thunder rumbled overhead, shaking the truck.

"Meh. It's cool, it's just rain," Chloe smoothly said as she set the truck to Drive.

It was already quite murky but Max could see the clouds rolling up ahead. Fast. Rushing, tripping over one another as if to race who gets to break loose first. The steel grey clouds looked angry as they collided above the beaches of Arcadia Bay.

All of a sudden, Max got a chill.

And then the rain started falling. Smoothly at first, but then outweighed by a ton of anger. The rain quickly turned heavy, so much so that Chloe squinted past the windshield. The girls sat in the truck in silence as the rain belted down onto the truck. Visibility was quite low now, but Chloe was determined to leave. The blue-haired punk turned on the high beams of her truck, threatening the downpour.

As if it was a response, the rain fell even more ferociously. The overbearing clouds. It was almost complete darkness.

 _Oh noo, Max ... oh no ..._ Max's thoughts chanted over and over. No way could they leave now. Not in this freak weather.

Lightning split the sky. For a moment, the lighthouse was visible off into the distance. Gone as quickly as Max blinked.

Back to heavy darkness, suffocated by the merciless downpour.

Chloe glared her eyes, not daring to move the car. She was used to heavy Arcadia showers. But not this. _This_ was savage.

As if on point, the rain beat down even harder, complimented by freakishly heavy winds. The truck shook from side to side as the wind coiled around them.

Lightning.

A glare of light on the window ...

 _What the fuck?_

" _No way._ Chloe. Did you see that?" Max urged.

Chloe looked up. Nothing but darkness. "I'm just trying to get a signal here but my phones dead and –"

Lightning.

"The fuck?! Max!" Chloe bolted forward in her seat. "The rain ... It's ..."

For a moment, the lightning illuminated the windshield, displaying the rain.

Which was not really rain at all.

"Is that blood? What the fuck, Max?!" Chloe exclaimed, her hands tightened on the wheel.

The window was covered in crimson red rain drops. Pouring down on them.

". _.._ ' _It was night and the rain fell ... it was rain but, having fallen, it was blood'_..." Max heard herself whisper. A flash, a memory.

Kate reciting a poem by Poe for English.

 _It's me ... oh man, it's me ..._

"What?!" Chloe shouted.

"Red rain ... Chloe," Max raised her voice over the sound of the heavy rain pounding on the truck, "This is messed up!"

Flash of lighting. Chloe's face was worried. The light shining from the crimson windshield tainted her face an odd shade of red.

"Hella fucked up ... We have to wait it out!" Chloe shouted over push of the unrelenting winds.

 **CRACKKKK.**

"Chloe? What was–"

 **BOOM!**

Lightning. A tree had fallen over up ahead. Split right at the base.

And then, as if giving up, it just _stopped_.

The clouds slowly pulled back and the rain turned into a moderate drizzle. And back to water. Max could see the rain washing off what was left of the smeared red from the truck's windows. The redness getting sponged up into the sand, into the black forest floor, the dark Arcadia waters. As if nothing ever happened.

The wind calmed down and they could see the fallen tree a few feet away. Chloe was panting.

"What the _fuck_ was that?!" Chloe exclaimed, her fingers fumbling with the windshield wipers button.

And then it hit her. "It's ... It's me," Max said numbly. She couldn't deny it any longer. It had to be her.

Chloe scrunched up her face. "What are you talking about, Max?"

Max turned to Chloe. "The snow? The eclipse? The dead animals?"

"So? The fuck does all that freak of nature crap have to do with you?"

Max went on, almost in a whisper. "Y-you keep dying and I keep saving you and then weird shit happens! Chloe, don't you _get it_?"

"Max, don't you dare blame yourself. This shit has _nothing_ to do with us!" Intense blue eyes, piercing right at Max.

Max shook her head wildly. "Frank! He killed you! And-and I rewound ... You were dying ... You were ..."

Chloe flinched. She said nothing, but arched her eyebrows in worry and reached out to Max, her hand stroking Max's hair.

 _Fuck Max, how could you be so blind!?_

 _The signs were all there ... the signs ..._

Chloe kept stroking, trying to calm her girlfriend down.

 _The ... the ..._

Max looked up towards the crying sky.

 _Tornado._

And then she looked over at Chloe in a panic and said, "It's coming."

* * *

 **A/N: So things got dark in this chapter ... :\**

 **Seriously, this chapter was quite hard for me write considering how freaking heavy it was. If you've made it this far, a) thank you and b) I'm sorry!**

 **Interestingly, half of you want pure smut (*nods head smugly in your direction*) and half of you want plot. You're getting both, but this story will definitely be plot heavy as of now. Also, because my story is following the actual game plot, it included a few scenes from the actual gameplay, but I altered them quite a bit. Speaking of the game, I can't believe it's done. Thank goodness for fanfiction and fanart that give me my Pricefield fix after the game has ended. Another thing I forgot (forgot = failed) to do was keep my promise and publish sooner. School took over my life but news: I finished my undergrad and got into law school :DDD**

 **Anyways, to make this A/N a short as possible, I wanted to let you lovely individuals know that I have about two more chapters planned for this story, so stay tuned. ALSO. I got tumblr lels Lightthewayahead. tumblr .com ... I barely know how to use it and barely post #noob lyfe, but feel free to say hi!**

 **Oh, and pwetty please let me know what you think about this chapter!**


	8. Revelation

**Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, abuse, violence.**

 **(I've missed you)**

 **(But guess who's back)**

 **(P.S. you might want to re-read this whole fic if you forgot where it left off just so you get the most of this story and understand the references)**

* * *

"I… feel like I'm going crazy," Max whispered as she looked out the window. Raindrops silently raced down the car window, interlacing and joining as soon as they touched one another. She flinched at the _click_ of the ignition turning off.

"Max. That's hella bullshit." Chloe shot her head towards Max. But as soon as Chloe turned to the brunette and saw her pinched eyebrows and wide, moist eyes, she immediately doubted the truth in her words.

"Okay… so it's fucked up. So you plus your time rewind seems to equal weird shit every time," Chloe swallowed and continued, choosing her words carefully, "But I think that's just a coincidence. A fucked up coincidence. But still a goddamn coincidence. Just think it through, Max. Why would you get your time rewind in the first place if it would fuck with nature and weather and shit?"

Max bit her bottom lip and shook her head. Her mind was blank. Numb, even. She could barely process her thoughts during the entire drive over. After what had just happened with Frank and _barely_ escaping. And then the short, but crazed, storm. Flashes of dark red, angry raindrops falling from the sky flickered across Max's mind. A gutting memory. Recent and raw.

Max shot her eyes up at the sky. While the harsh rain had simmered down to a damp drizzle, the grey clouds looming above Arcadia were just a reminder of what was still to come.

If Max was sure about _anything_ , it was that.

Max was flirting with time and that weather they saw back at Frank's, _whatever_ it was, was just a tease. Max knew they were being sucked into a dangerous path – as if they were flies drowning in honey. They were in too deep. Max used her powers way too much. She knew it.

 _The tornado…_

 _That first vision in class earlier this week… it wasn't a vision of the future. It was a warning. I could have stopped it… I should have seen it as a warning…_

 _Fuck, Max! How could you be so damn blind?!_

The tornado was omnipresent.

"I just… am _so_ sure about this," Max softly spoke, trembling.

Once again, they were in Chloe's truck. Crying. But this time, it was Max's turn.

"Hey," Chloe said softly, frowning. She reached out and interlaced her fingers through Max's.

The rain drops on the windshield shadowed over Chloe's face, making it look as if she was wearing a lace mesh over her eyes. Max thought it looked really pretty against the dull blue of her hair.

Yes, once again they were in Chloe's truck crying.

Chloe was beside her. Not running away scared. And that made Max even more sad.

But they were together. And Max took solace in knowing that Chloe was there to pick up the pieces, just like she did for Chloe.

Max wiped away at her moist cheek.

Chloe squeezed her hand twice. Chloe's own little hand signal, for when she can't seem to collect her thoughts, get the words out. As if to reassure Max that no matter what happened, is happening, or will happen, she will be there. And Max will never be alone through this.

The punk reached over and gently fiddled with the strand of blue in Max's hair, pulling it back behind her ear. Chloe loved this girl so much, and when she grazed the back of her hand over Max's jaw, it was as if Max could understand her unspoken words. A slight smile appeared on Max's lips.

Chloe then skewed her face to one side, crossing her eyes, sucking in her cheeks and pursing her lips like a duck. She shoved her silly face up close to Max's and to her relief, Max broke into a series of giggles. She couldn't resist. Seeing Max smile again was all that mattered to Chloe. Her own pain was one thing, but Max's pain was… something she promised herself to prevent.

Max stopped laughing, gave Chloe a stern stare, and then continued giggling in-between sniffles.

 _Chloe… everything is her_ , Max thought to herself as she wiped away at the tears and felt so, _so_ grateful that she had this blue-haired girl right beside her making her smile.

Max felt Chloe's hand clenching onto her own.

"Look Max… fuck the tornado! If it happens…" Chloe glanced out at the gloomy clouds and windy rain. What she began to say was a big _if_. She felt as if she was taunting the weather, despite it hinting at otherwise. And while Chloe certainly didn't want to test that, she continued. " _If_ it happens, that doesn't mean the end of the world. There's always… Fuck. There's always something. And I swear to you, Max, we'll do everything we can do avoid it. Warn the entire town, take the truck, get the fuck out…"

The blue-haired girl felt herself rambling or even worse, trying to make light of the situation. Despite it all, one thing was clear.

"Max. Look at me," Chloe anchored her gaze to Max's watery eyes. "You – we – need to quit worrying about what might happen and focus on what _will_ happen. Save those we can."

 _What_ will _happen. Will._

 _She's right, Max. This tornado…_

 _You… you don't know for sure. Can't know for sure._

Max slightly nodded as Chloe arched her eyebrows in worry.

"Fuck Max, the only thing we know for hella sure is what we know about Frank and Nathan." Max felt a wave of unsettling anger to the sound of their names. But she knew Chloe was right.

 _You know she is. All that shit Frank told us… it_ was _Nathan. Is. And that asshole won't stop anytime soon._

 _That, at least, you know for certain._

 _That prick._

And while Max couldn't help but feel this huge, unwavering worry about the tornado, she felt as if her ability to do anything about it at this point was slipping out of her hands. The only thing she felt certain about – felt as if she actually had a tight grip on the situation – was about Nathan.

They _knew_ what he did. He was definitely connected to Rachel's disappearance. And definitely fucked with Chloe _and_ with Kate. It was confirmed after reading his notebook and thanks to Frank, he _is_ planning to do it again tonight to another poor girl.

That much, they knew.

Max felt sick to her stomach. Her icy, clammy hands clenched onto Chloe's and the brunette let out a strangled exhale.

"I – I know," Max replied decisively. She tore her eyes away from Chloe's intense stare and glanced down at the dashboard.

It was about an hour before the Vortex party and they were in their usual parking spot: a few blocks away from Blackwell.

 _Okay, Max. Think._

 _Get your shit together and make a game plan._

If she had to be focused on anything, it would be this. Max gathered her thoughts, drew in a large breath and looked down at her hand in Chloe's.

"We… we have to go back," Max calmly stated.

Max could see Chloe slowly nod at her from her peripherals. She went on, "We need to go through his stuff again. Nathan's. I need to go back and finish reading his notebook. Take it. Get proof once and for all."

Chloe's eyes turned ice cold and she clenched her free hand in a tight fist. Angrily, she added, "He _did_ something to her… We gotta confirm and fucking give him what he deserves."

 _Rachel._

"Exactly. I have to get what he said about Rachel and take his notebook straight to the police," Max said.

"Do it right this time," Chloe agreed, slightly relaxing, but with angry brows remaining. "Easy enough, Caulfield."

Chloe began to take off her seatbelt and reach for the truck door, ready to sneak back into the dorms.

 _We are so not off the hook, Max. You know that. What about the other girls?_

"Chlo. We can't just expect to get his notebook, hand it in to the cops and expect that they'll totally believe us. It could be days until they decide to look into it – if even that!" Max let out a worried sigh. "Nathan might hurt another girl tonight. He might _hurt_ someone else, Chlo. We need to find him at the Vortex party."

Chloe tightened her lips. " _Fuck_ him. We need to track him down and stop him from doing it again. Get that dick to fess up and go to the police."

Max nodded. "Right. We'll tell him we found his notebook –"

 _'Found'… And by that, you mean 'broke into his room and stole'…_

"– and know about the shit he's been doing. Then turn him in. He needs help, Chloe."

Chloe snorted. "Yeah, I'll gladly _help_ fix him straight. I'll hella _help_ kick his knees in."

Max cringed, remembering what she let Chloe do to him earlier that day. Her bloody knuckles, his gushing face.

"I'm serious," Max stressed.

Chloe angled her eyes towards the floor and quietly replied, "So am I."

"For real, _Chloe_. I need you to promise me that you won't pull that shit on Nathan again. I cannot afford to waste my power. If we do things right this time, Nathan _will_ get his. Just, promise me you won't be violent with him."

Chloe snorted, seemingly relaxing a bit as she pushed open the truck door and jumped out. "Chill, Caulfield. I get it, I promise, okay? Now let's get the fuck out of here and merk his shit."

* * *

The two girls managed to get through the Blackwell campus and into the boy's dormitory hall undetected for the second time that day. Luckily because of the rain, no one was hanging around the lawns anymore, so they found themselves at the entrance of the boy's dorms once again. Alone. The amount of luck that they've pushed within the past 24 hours seemed to feel a little too close for comfort, but they both nonetheless took it as some sort of sign that they were on the right path.

The crimson rain that had poured onto them earlier turned into a constant wet drizzle of normal rain water. Chloe took the arm of her sleeve and dragged it across her face in an attempt to wipe away some of the rain drops. Her sweater was pretty soaked, however, so she merely ended up just smearing the dampness even more.

They had ended up running through the drizzling rain from the block they were parked on and got pretty wet. Chloe tried to pull her light black jacket overtop her head as they ran but it didn't do much. She pulled at the soaked white and black tank top which was sticking up against her stomach and glanced at Max.

"Come on," the brunette softly spoke as she hurried down the hall towards Nathan's dorm. Her wet hair was sticking to her face and her clothes were disgustingly damp, but she was so pumped on adrenaline that she pushed through, determined to get what they needed.

No time rewind to fix anything. No silly mistakes this time.

The two briskly made their way down the hall and to the left. Right in front of Nathan's room.

Max looked at the door, then at Chloe, then back at the door again.

 _Okay Max. You can do this._

"Chloe, keep watch again. I am almost sure that Nathan won't be here but… just in case."

Chloe nodded and brushed her hand along Max's arm in support. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I mean, it's like less than a half an hour before the Vortex party. I bet that prick is probably out getting his fix from Frank anyway."

"Exactly. I know where the notebook is so I will literally be back in a minute… and then we can get the hell out of here."

"Annnd I'll be here, Max," Chloe replied, a small supportive smile on her face. The blue-haired girl started further down the hall so she could have a better view of the front entrance.

With a sharp exhale, Max wiped her damp hands on her sweater and dashed for the door handle. To her relief, the damage she did with the fire extinguisher earlier that day left the door handle loose and unable to fully lock.

 _Thank dog._ Max thought to herself as she wiggled the handle from side to side and pushed the door slightly open.

 _Okay, Max. In and out. Just go in, grab it, then get out._

Max gently stepped forward and slid through the door, pushing back up against it slowly to close herself in the room.

 _Dark. Again. Figures._

Nathan's dorm looked identical to how it was earlier that day. Nathan was definitely in there, but he made sure he didn't make his presence known – probably because he was technically still suspended and prohibited from school grounds. Nonetheless, despite it looking pretty much the same, it didn't quite comfort Max. Just because she'd been in there and knew where things were relatively placed, Max still felt an uneasy shiver run down her spine, making her stomach churn.

Max let out a strained breath. She realized she had been holding in her breath from nervousness. After all, this was _Max Caulfield_. Straight-A-Never-Get-In-Trouble-Max-Caulfield. The fact that she was doing what she was right now almost made her sick.

Almost.

 _Chloe. Think of Chloe, Max!_

The brunette shook the thoughts from her head and kept her mind on the goal.

 _Under the bed._

Her eyes scanned the room and fell on the bed.

 _Okay, Max. You got this._

Max dashed across the room, heading straight for the bed and plunging on her knees right beside the bedframe. Quickly, her cold hands fumbled to grab her book bag off her shoulder and slump it on the floor beside her.

In one quick move, she slinked her hand into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone. Her damp fingers grappled with the touch screen, which was streaked with rain water that must have seeped through her pants.

 _Come onnn. Stupid phone!_

She double tapped each button on the touch screen, each touch initially unreadable due to the rain water damage. Finally, the cellphone flashlight turned on. It was almost blinding compared to the charcoal darkness of Nathan's room.

Right as she was about to rush down underneath the bed, she poked her head from above the mattress and shot her eyes at the door.

It was silent. And while the silence should have comforted her – reassured her that no one else but Chloe was out there – she couldn't help but feel as if she was spiraling down the rabbit hole. Every ticking second pulling her closer and closer to the vortex. She could hear her heartbeat, each beat reminding her of every burdening second passing – escaping her grasp.

The silence was dense as hell.

 _Focus, Max!_

 _Under the bed. It_ has _to be there. That's where your idiot self kicked it._

Hurriedly, the brunette lowered herself back down to the floor and shoved the lit cellphone underneath the bed. Getting down on her stomach, the cold floor felt raw up against her abdomen. It felt so intensely cold on her damp shirt that she sucked in her stomach out of reflex and let out a shaky exhale before submitting to the floor.

In one swift movement, she urged forward and shone the flashlight from side to side. The light quivered and Max realized she was shaking. Little dust particles from Nathan's dirty bedroom floor floated around in the narrow beam of her cellphone flashlight.

Thoughts flooded her mind, giving her another wave of anxiousness.

 _Good brain, Max. Think about what the worst thing could happen. Someone could come in – say, Nathan for one – and he'd find you out. Who knows what he'd do to you. Perfect. Great thinking, brain._

Max clenched her eyes tight and briskly shook her head as if to clear away the thoughts and focus on the notebook.

The light kept trembling. In annoyance, she took her left hand and clasped it at her wrist, pressing it down to the icy floor to make it stop shaking.

She looked underneath the far side of the bed, up closest to the wall. When she kicked it, she could have sworn she heard a slight thud – the journal hitting the wall?

She jerked the flashlight to the far wall, illuminating the dark outline of what could only be Nathan's notebook.

 _Bingo._

She shot her hand out towards the notebook, extending her fingers to just barely graze the journal's edge. It was almost within reach. Almost.

She used the tips of her sneakers to give herself a push towards the wall. In one quick move, her core slid a few inches closer and her hand managed to fumble across the frayed cover of the notebook.

 _Gotcha._

Max yanked the notebook towards her and pushed herself from underneath the bed. As soon as she slid out, she remained on her knees and edged her head up above the mattress.

Nothing.

She paused for a second longer, listening for the sounds of footsteps, whispering voices, anything – but other than her heart, which was still beating strong and loud, the dorm hall was silent.

Max set her cellphone beside her and rolled up the sleeves of her grey sweater. Not only was it damp from the rain, but it now had patches of dust and grime. Yes, Nathan's room was freakily sterile. Under his bed was a different story, however.

In a rush, she grabbed the notebook. Max yanked at the elastic band that bound the notebook and all its contents and placed it on her wrist. Holding her breath, her shaky fingers flipped open the notebook and skipped all the way to the back. Past the baggie of unidentifiable pills, past the fucked up family letters, past the failed tests and assignments, past the sadistic black and white photos.

To what she previously didn't have the time to see.

Her shaking hand lightly fingered the photos of Rachel and Max found herself unable to look straight at Rachel's eyes. Piercing through the photos. Ecstatic and ready to party. Bright.

Until they are not… and her eyes are half-closed and bloodshot. Fading out.

Another photo.

Passing out.

Another photo.

Lying unconscious on the floor.

Max could hardly concentrate on keeping her thoughts together. Her mind was racing and she felt like it took every bit of her to keep going.

Ignoring the bile threatening to rise up her throat… ignoring her palpitating heart… ignoring the sudden bloom of cold sweat on her forehead.

Her fingers fumbled with the photos until–

 _That fucking creep…_

– until she pretty much confirmed what she had already presumed. Or, rather, _feared_.

So when she saw the photos of _two other_ girls passed out on the floor at a different party, Max didn't dare flinch.

She probably couldn't even if she wanted to. She was frozen. Almost forgetting to breathe.

… _I don't… Nathan… I…_

She eyed the glossy photos. Two different photos. Two girls. One on her stomach and the other with her hair covering her face. Both unrecognizable.

 _Holy fuck…_

 _Nathan has serious issues…_

But Max already knew that.

Her stomach churned. Who were these girls?

 _It's as if… he has… some sort of gross fetish. Drugging and trapping girls. And… assaulting them._

 _And then capturing it all on film._

She glanced at how the hair fell over one of the girl's face.

Her mind ping ponged thoughts of anxiety over and over. Did Chloe's blue strands fall over her eyes when she was passing out under Nathan's hand? Did her hair obstruct her view as he tore off her clothes and she was flowing in and out of drug-induced consciousness? Or did her hair stick to her sweaty face as she fought to stay awake? Did it frame her bulging eyes as he held her down? And… Rachel? Kate? Did Kate struggle? Did her bun loosen up and did her light brown strands tangle in her cross necklace? Stick to her sweaty neck? Beads of perspiration forming along her crisp white collar?

Max felt light-headed. She wanted to vomit. Every part of her wanted to chuck this book across the wall and yell. Trash every little undeserving thing in this room. She was normally not an angry person but this…

This was too real.

 _No!_

 _You have to keep going, Max!_

 _For Chloe. For all of them._

It took every inch of her to focus on her breathing, so when a few seconds passed and the brunette had her breathing more or less under control, her shaky hand reached over to flip the page.

The next page looked familiar. Same handwriting. Same scratches. Same fuming black pen.

 _More of Nathan's scribbles._

Max's eyes shot from word to word.

 _You sure like to vent, asshole._

Peppered thoughts and unfinished words splashed the page angrily.

 _He must have been in a rush._

 **you lying whore. you want to ruin me?** **sadistic cunt**

 **Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel**

 **will you still like sadism when I show you how it FEELS?**

 **that bitch had to go**

 _Rachel? Had to go? Oh my god._

 _Please don't tell me…._ Max kept reading. Her eyes scanned over the awful black ink of Nathan's pen. She couldn't stop.

 **YOUR LEVERAGE IS FUTILE RACHIE.**

… **will be gone soon…**

 **white trash whore no family no one cares about you you slut model wannabe no one will notice**

 **NO ONE WILL NOTICE**

 **Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel**

 _Leverage?_

 **NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NO ONE WILL NOTICE I WANT YOU TO SUFFER**

 **I know what you want. sweet rachel. the games you play are vain.**

 **no threats over prescotts**

 **not ruled over by ANYONE not ruled over not ruled over we are KINGS of this town, you bitch**

 **I wanted to do so much more to you. I wanted it. but I wanted you gone more. GET OUT OF MY FACE. NEVER COME BACK. I will rip you open if I see your face again. RIP YOU OPEN. TEAR AWAY AT YOUR SKIN WITH MY FINGERS.**

Line after line. The messy black ink stained the page on and on.

 **no blackmail over prescotts. just because you know what I did to you**

 **CONFRONTATION**

 **you think worthless trash like you will blackmail ME confront me again I dare you I DARE YOU TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT I DID TO YOU YOU BITCH YOU LIKED IT YOU KNOW YOU DID**

 **bitch took the one-way ticket. I knew you would. I KNEW IT. white trash marionette I have power over you and you better get on that plane and never come back NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK CUNT NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK TAKE THE ONE-WAY TICKET AND NEVER COME BACK NEVER COME BACK DO NOT COME BACK**

 _Plane?!_

Max blinked. Once. Twice. Nausea took pushed herself to clear her mind and retrace the words with her eyes, tripping over the anxious words and scanning over the words over and over.

 _PLANE._

 _One-way ticket?!_

Her heart raced. Hope dangled on a thin strand in front of her and she was holding onto the one piece of evidence she might have.

 _Nathan must have… holy crap. He must have sent Rachel away! Rachel… she… could she have threatened Nathan?_

Her eyes shot back and forth as her mind raced.

 _Just like…._

 _Chloe did._

 _That day in the bathroom. Except he had a gun for the second time someone would blackmail him. That prick._

 _Oh my god. Rachel must have figured it out! She must have known Nathan fucked her up and confronted him about it!_

 _It all makes sense! Nathan wouldn't have cut her off from this town unless she had some sort of incriminating evidence about him. Incriminating…! He must have threatened her to leave to get rid of her so she'd keep her mouth shut! So she'd disappear!_

 _Holy crap, Max. You_ need _to take this to the police. It's the only proof of what he did to everyone AND… Rachel. She is…._

 _Alive?_

Max's stomach dropped at the thought. She pocketed the notebook, grabbed her phone and lunged up, striding towards the door.

To Chloe. Her heart raced to the beat of her feet hitting the ground as she swung the dorm door open and raced down the hallway.

Chloe, who was still down the hallway keeping watch, turned towards Max upon hearing the door shut.

"Max!" Chloe cried out as she scanned the urgency in Max's flashing, darting eyes. She knew they were golden, but she eagerly asked anyway. "You got it?! You found it?"

A smirk crept onto the blue-haired girl's face, but Max's lips remained pursed.

"Yes," Max nodded, "But we have to get out of here. Chloe. There's… I found… It's all in here. We got him, Chlo. And…"

"Go Max!" Chloe beamed. "We have that prick by the ba–"

"– Nathan _likes_ doing those messed up things. Drugging girls and taking photos of them... It's totally fucked up, Chlo," Max quietly said, a sense of urgency in her voice. "But… I think there's hope. For Rachel. I – I think she's okay."

Chloe's eyebrows rose and her sharp eyes widened. Her skin felt cold and raised all of a sudden.

Max wearily looked around the dorm hallway and went on once she confirmed that it was more or less quiet. "That asshole hurt her, Chlo, and she… she tried to get back at him. She… must have confronted him – just like you did that day in the bathroom – because I think he bought her a one-way plane ticket to disappear from Arcadia Bay. To get lost. As a way to cover up his tracks."

Chloe's shock quickly turned into anger. Cold skin turning hot. Her brows furrowed and her lips tightened.

"Chloe," Max grabbed Chloe's arms, "I… know it sounds crazy, but Nathan _is_ crazy. It's all in here." Max patted her book bag.

"That fucking Prescott scum," Chloe said as her hands tightened into fists. "But that means… Rachel might still be out there! Holy fuck, Max…"

Max nodded rapidly. "Right. But we have to get out of here. If there's any chance of stopping Nathan…" The brunette swallowed. "He might do it again. And we don't have much time."

"That fucker," Chloe's eyebrows furrowed as she whipped out her cellphone to check the time, "He might do it again _now_ , Max. We need to go. The Vortex party already started."

 _If we go straight to the police, it'll take them hours – days even – before they begin investigating Nathan._

 _Think, Max, think!_

 _Two teen girls and a journal... a blue-haired delinquent punk and a nobody wallflower._

 _They'll just see it as a tip. They won't believe it. Not until they see more people hurt. They'll only believe us once he…_

 _Hurts more girls._

 _No._

 _No!_

 _You can't let it happen to anyone else, Max. You can't._

Max looked up at her girlfriend, biting her bottom lip.

"Chloe," Max began, her voice shaking with concern. "We have to find him. Nathan. We have to find him now. The police won't act fast enough and I _know_ he'll do it again."

Chloe nodded urgently. "The pigs won't do fuck all. We probably have an hour max. Fuck! Especially since the Vortex party already started." Chloe grabbed Max by the elbow and rushed down the hallway towards the door. "Rachel wanted us to find her. So we could get real justice. And _revenge_. We need to confront that asshole. Do it right with actual proof. Get that prick to fess up. Only until his shit brain understands that we have actual shit against him can we blackmail him to tell us where Rachel is. And keep his drugs _and dick_ in his pants. For hella good this time."

Chloe pushed open the dormitory door to be greeted by the cool Arcadia Bay nighttime air. The blue-haired girl turned towards Max and angled her eyebrows towards the school.

With rage and determination in her voice, she spat, "I hope Nathan enjoys his last party."

* * *

The two girls had rushed from the dormitories to the End of the World party to track down Nathan. Luckily, the pool hall was not too far, so they were able to get there pretty quickly. The music was pumping. Dark, flashy lights beamed from drunk person to drunk person. Some jumped into the pool. Others danced around sloppily. Most hung with their own crowd. Pool noodles and crushed beer cans peppered the floor. The bass in the trance music vibrated around them and people trying to shout over the songs to hear each other created a loud buzz.

The two girls made their way through the crowds. Max's ears rung. Sweaty, plastered person after sweaty, plastered person birthed a sense of worry in her. Wet, dancing bodies brushed up against her and Chloe.

Max grabbed onto her own shoulder.

Anxiety.

It sent a shiver through her body. Fluorescent lights shot around the pool hall, dizzying her. Bright glow sticks encircled people's wrists and necks as they danced around the pool and an obnoxious Vortex spiral projected on each wall to trip everyone out. It was surely working. The brunette's eyes shot from spiral to spiral, until something caught her eye.

"W... what is that?" Max leaned into Chloe and shouted. She gazed up through the skylight in the Blackwell pool ceiling, the Vortex party booming around them in full bloom. "Jesus, Chloe, look up at the sky!"

Max grabbed Chloe by the shoulders and directed her gaze towards the ceiling.

Two pale full moons illuminated the sky.

 _Two moons._

 _No way…_

They mirrored each other and their glow brightened the dark, ominous sky. Chloe's eyes shone a deep, electric blue, as if they were fueled by the energy around her.

"Holy shit, Max…"

Max felt a cold shiver run through her. "I feel like I'm tripping, Chloe."

 _This is insane. So insane._

 _Doesn't anyone else see this? Please tell me I'm not the only one._

Chloe blinked quickly before turning back to face her girlfriend. The music pumped through the floor.

"No. No… I see it, too. That's hella fucked up, Max."

 _Could this be because…_

"Hey, Maximum Overdrive! Digging the hair!" A loud voice interrupted Max's racing thoughts.

 _What?_

 _Oh. Right. Chloe put blue streaks in my hair._

She turned to see a heavily plastered jock wave at her as he passed through and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

"Uhh, thanks?" Max responded, completely aware that her response was not loud enough and conversely, totally uninterested to even try to make her voice heard.

 _Doesn't anyone else see this?!_

 _How could everyone just dance around while there's two freaking moons right above them?_

She turned to Chloe.

"Why is everyone acting so oblivious?" Max shouted. "Did they not see that weird blood rain earlier!? How can they just pretend that nothing weird is going on!?"

"I stopped questioning why Blackwell scum act the way they do a long time ago, Max."

 _But this… how can they ignore this?_

"Chloe, I think something _major_ is going down," Max said.

The punk's trance was cut off quickly when a faceless dancing someone bumped into Max and nudged the brunette closer to her. Her anger quickly returned.

"You're right. Nathan Prescott is going down," Chloe scowled. She didn't deeply care about anything but finding Nathan and, right now, that was all she could think about. Admittedly, as soon as the two girls arrived and got sucked into the Vortex party, they rushed to scour the place looking for that familiar Nathan face.

 _Right. Eye on the prize, Max._

 _You have more important things to worry about._

 _Nathan is definitely dangerous. We need to find him._

 _And fast._

The two girls impatiently moved from person to person asking around for Nathan. They did this for what seemed like _too_ long, but no such luck. It was frustrating to ask them and be taken seriously when people were either snotty and didn't want to say anything about Nathan, were half drunk and _couldn't_ say anything about Nathan, or were just plain ignoring their trivial questions because they'd heard about Max's new girlfriend and were bombarding the couple with questions about them instead. Even when they ran into a slightly-buzzed Warren, he seemed to quickly get over the mention of Nathan being dangerous and skip right over to asking Max about Chloe. His disappointment and slight envy was certainly not masked by the buzz of the alcohol.

Luckily, to the girls they _did_ speak with, even if they were not really taken seriously, Max was sure to warn each and every one of them to stay away from Nathan. She did not go into reasons why, but she at least told them to watch out. Some of them looked at her like she was crazy, but all of them sensed Max's worry and said that they would heed her advice, agreeing that Nathan Prescott was indeed a full-blown creep.

At least, they had that.

However, it was certainly not enough. They needed to find Nathan. While they were warning people, he could be hurting another girl as they spoke.

"Where is he?" Chloe asked sternly, losing patience.

Max was losing hope. She had asked just about anyone willing to listen.

"No one seems to know where Nathan is. Is he hiding something?" Max asked, already knowing the answer.

"Typical fucking Blackhell. No one seems to help when you actually need it," Chloe scowled, "Not even his scum whore-tex club. Fucking hate those snobby douchebags."

 _Nathan IS the Vortex club. His ass has to be here tonight._

 _Right?_

 _Where the hell is he?_

"Max!" A sharp voice came up behind the girls, interrupting her thought. Max and Chloe turned to face the voice,

"Brooke, hey, have you seen Nathan Prescott?"

"Nathan? Hell no, and I am surely grateful. I hate that kid," Brooke shouted. "But hey, uh, have you seen Warren around? He's basically the reason I even came to this shitshow Vortex party."

"He's around but… he's a little buzzed," Max gave her a nervous chuckle. "Just… please watch out for Nathan, Brooke."

Brooke scoffed and said, "Trust me, Max, I fully intend to," before walking away and getting lost in the crowds again.

Suddenly, a crowd of jocks broke into a chant as another buffed guy began to chug a beer. They shoved into Max and Chloe, pushing them deeper into the crowd. Sweaty, wet people were rubbing up against them as they danced.

Chloe shoved a few people away with her elbows as she tried to pull her obviously-frazzled girlfriend away from the crowds.

Max just wanted to get out, and Chloe certainly sensed that. Nathan didn't seem to be there and no one was really helpful in finding him.

 _Nathan could be drugging a girl right now…_

 _Tying her up… drugging her… undressing her… prying off her panties… oh my god… posing her on the floor… taking photos of her limp body…_

 _Max!_

 _You have to do something!_

Max broke out into a sweat. Anxiety fueled her veins and ran through her bloodstream. She was surrounded by too many people – none of them Nathan – and the feeling of dread and anxiety filled her. Her sweaty hands grabbed Chloe's hand.

A cry for help. A question.

What to do now?

"Chloe, I don't know if –"

They were just about to give up, having looked everywhere, when –

 **Bzzzz bzz.**

Despite the booming music and pulsing crowds around her, Max was so on edge that she felt her phone go off in a heartbeat. She plunged her clammy hands into her pocket to retrieve her phone.

 **Private Number: guess who**

She was barely able to glance at the screen until it shook in her hands again.

 **Bzzzz bzz.**

 **Bzzzz bzz.**

Another drunk person shoved into her as they were dancing. Her eyes blurred.

 **Bzzzz bzz.**

She was getting spammed. She could hardly make out any of the letters. Too many people were shoving into her, touching her, pushing her up to Chloe.

 **Bzzzz bzz.**

Text after text.

"CHLOE!" Max yelled, her voice cutting through the booming music and catching the blue-haired girl's attention immediately.

"Who is it, Max?" Chloe glanced down at the device in Max's hands.

 _It's Nathan. It has to be. I… I need to get outside. I can't think straight. I need to…_

"Chloe," Max grabbed her girlfriend's hand and made her way through the thick crowd, heading for the exit. "We have to go outside. Right now. I'll explain there."

Max and Chloe barged out of the doors, leaving the Vortex party and all the noise behind.

* * *

The cool air was not as comforting as Max hoped it would be. It was much too damp and heavy to be any kind of soothing. The rain still didn't let down. Though, getting out of the drunken and dancing crowd immediately helped clear her mind. The two girls stood underneath the overhead of the side doors to the building as it stormed around them. Normal rain this time, but still harsh.

With urgency, Max opened her cellphone. It had gone off a few times and it could only be one person.

"Let's see who's spamming you…" Chloe leaned in over the brunette's shoulder as she opened her messages.

 **Private Number: guess who**

Chloe read the unread messages out loud.

 **Private Number: didnt i warn you bitches to stay away**

 **Private Number: i think youre asking for it**

"Fucking Nathan Prescott. Just the asshole we were looking for…" Chloe muttered as she kept scrolling.

 **Private Number: wanna know something interesting?**

 **Private Number: i was just calling up a good friend of mine who told me that frank told you two cunts about what i did? what i LIKE to do?**

 **Private Number: well guess what. my little hobby is no concern of yours. and frank's gonna get his for talking about me.**

 **Private Number: in fact, guess where im going right now? to fucking take care of little asswipe frankie in the junkyard. but don't fret little cunts. ill deal with you both after.**

 **Private Number: promise**

"Take care of?!" Max shouted.

 _Holy fuck… he's going to hurt Frank!_

 _He's insane!_

"No fucking way!" Chloe shouted, grabbing the phone and hitting the Reply button. "He's going after Frank? That piece of shit."

Chloe began to text back. Her fingers moved so rapidly, fueled.

"Fuck you, Nathan," Chloe spat.

 **Max: yo prescott trash. guess who right back? its chloe, you piece of shit. i know what you did to me. and we know what you did to kate. rachel. the others. where the FUCK did you send rachel on a plane?**

She hit Send.

Her eyes, slightly concealed by her damp blue strands, darkened in disgust. There was lightning in the distance.

"I swear to god, I'll fuck him up. I'll fuck him up for what he did, Max!" Chloe kicked the brick wall with her combat boot.

Max grabbed onto Chloe's forearms. "We can't let him hurt Frank! We _need_ Frank for when we go to the police! He has so much dirt on Nathan," Max exclaimed. She bit her lip and thought. She shuddered when a cold wind blew the freezing rain on her. "The only good thing is that he isn't hurting another girl right now. Thank Dog for that. But we need to stop him."

Not even a minute passed when Max's cellphone buzzed in Chloe's hand.

 **Bzzz bzz.**

A response.

 **Private Number: there wont be any evidence once im done. youre dead to me you whore. you and max both. eat shit.**

 _No! We can't let him do this!_

Max could read Chloe pretty well, and she could tell Chloe was grinding her teeth in anger.

Chloe pursed her lips. "He wants Frank? Not if we get to the junkyard first."

She wanted to tell Chloe that she loved her and to calm down and to think this through, but all that came out was…

"Please Chloe. I love you," Max said as she loosened her grip on Chloe's arms.

"I love you too, babe. I'm hella fucking glad you're here with me. We're going to take that asshole down."

Chloe squinted her eyes as she tried to look through the rain, her fists clenching. She turned back to Max and shoved the cellphone back in the brunette's pocket. All of a sudden, she shot her head back towards the rain.

"Come on, Max. We got no time for his shit."

Before Max could even say anything, Chloe immediately took off sprinting.

 _Fuck!_

 _Chloe!_

Max hardly hesitated.

She jolted into the rain after her girlfriend. She was soaked within seconds. The wind blew the rain straight into her eyes, blurring everything.

"CHLOE! Wait!" Max screamed through the rain, trying to keep up. As much as she tried, Chloe was still ahead.

 _Is she crazy? We can't just confront him right now!_

 _She's too impulsive!_

"Chloe!" Max panted as she continued running, almost slipping on the wet grass. They were nearly across campus right now, heading to the forests that lined Blackwell.

Chloe slightly turned her head towards Max as she ran. Her blue hair stuck to her cheeks, soaked.

"Keep up, Max!" Chloe shouted, "I know a shortcut through the forest to the junkyard!"

"No! Chlo–" Max started coughing in-between gasps for air. They were running towards the rain and the freezing raindrops on her face felt awful.

Chloe pushed on. Her combat boots plunged into the wet grass, stopping for no one.

 **BANGGG**

Thunder crashed in the distance and boomed in Max's ears. She brushed her already-soaked sweater across her eyes to see better. It didn't help much.

Max tried to glance ahead as her legs pushed forward. She could see Chloe approaching a dark wall of trees. They were almost at the edge of campus where the looming forest began.

Chloe was just about slowing down, ducking her head to get underneath a branch that seemed to reveal some sort of dirt pathway through the forest when, finally, Max caught up.

She reached out and grabbed Chloe's arm.

She pulled Chloe backwards, completely getting her girlfriend's attention now.

Max gasped for air. "Chloe– You– I– Can't just–" she puffed.

"Max, please," Chloe looked down at her worried girlfriend. She knew Max's hesitation meant well, but she had to keep going. "Hey…"

Chloe brushed the back of her fingers along Max's wet cheek, her touch seemingly calming Max down.

Chloe went on, "Max. Mad Max. Please, we have to do this. And we hella have to do this together. You're my partner in time… partner in crime, right?"

 _But that doesn't mean we shouldn't think things through, Chloe!_

Max remained worried, slightly pulling her face away from Chloe's fingers.

"I just… I don't think this is the best way to–"

Chloe interjected, softly taking Max by the chin and turning her face to her. "Max, I'm sure of this."

Chloe looked down in Max's worried doe eyes, her sharp blue eyes electric with adrenalin. A strong brush of rain jolted them forward. The wind was strong.

Chloe continued, "We have to sneak up on Nathan if we want to get anywhere, Max! Trust me. I hella know where I'm going. And if we get to the junkyard right now, like. Right. This. Second. Max… we could have a fucking huge advantage!"

Max's heavy breathing was evident from the way her shoulders moved up and down. All the bones in her body hurt and she was shaking. The rain was so cold and harsh, it felt like icy fire.

"Max. Please. Put your trust in me."

Max could feel Chloe's hand tighten. But her face only looked determined and willing. She wanted Max to do this with her. She _needed_ Max to do this with her.

And she needed it now.

Chloe read the worry in Max's eyes and added, "I _know_ you want to think on it. I _know_ you want to take the safer way. But Max… we have no _time_ to think on it. I've already thought it through. And we need to go this way. Trust me, I know these forest paths like the back of my hand! The truck would be too loud and hella give us away. The _safest_ way to the junkyard… is this way. 10 minutes max if we run."

Chloe slipped her fingers in Max's, feeling the brunette's cold, shaky fingers.

 _But what if something happens to you again, Chloe?_

 _You…_

 _You can't just tell me to trust you and go!_

 _I trust you so much._

 _But I don't trust the crazy things going on. And I definitely don't trust Nathan!_

Max opened her mouth, hesitating, until she finally replied to the insistent girl.

"Chloe, I trust you with everything. But Nathan is _dangerous_! He's psychotic and will hurt people… I have a bad feeling… I… don't know what it is," Max whispered. It was getting hard to speak. "But I have a crappy feeling something bad will happen to you again and–"

Her voice broke. The tears started flowing, but they just mixed in with the rain on her face.

"Chlo… please listen to me. I'm so, so worried that something bad will happen to you and I won't be able to do anything about it."

The soaked blue-haired girl could not give much to settle Max's worries, so she gave her a small smile instead.

"Max, I hella hear you. But there's already _so_ much shit that's happened. So many people not deserving any of it. And I just think that… if we can save Rachel, like she saved me… I don't know. That weird feeling you have? I have it to, but mine is more like… I don't know. I have hope or some shit. That Prescott asshole has it coming. And he's not going to get in our way anymore, Max. I won't let it!"

 _Fuckk. I can't describe it, but I am SO worried he might try to hurt you again._

 _Try to kill you again._

 _Chloe, please try to see things from my point of view…_

"Listen, Max. I think we can get to him. Fuck him up emotionally. Physically even. Look. When we snuck to his dorm, I almost beat him down to a pulp. You had to stop it, Max! But he still took it hard. He's…," Chloe scowled her eyes, "He's fucking weak. I KNOW we can get to him and find out what he did with Rachel. Where he sent her. Make him fess the fuck up. It's about time we stop him once and for all. I promise."

 _But if something does happen again, I don't know if I could use my time rewind to save her._

 _My power's been weakening the more I use it._

 _You haven't used it in so long, Max._

 _Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe you've been saving it. Dog, I don't know!_

Max could hardly think. Her mind was racing, thought after thought. All incomplete. All thinking the worst of the situation.

But a growing part of her was submitting to the idea that…

 _Crap crap crap crap CRAP_

 _It's just so damn hard to see this situation coming out okay for us. And if something happens to Chloe, I don't know what I would do…_

 _I can't lose her._

 _But if you do nothing, you help no one._

 _The police won't do ANYTHING knowing that the Prescotts basically run them._

 _And Nathan could take care of Frank like he took care of Rachel! Just send him away far from here…_

 _But he could hurt him… kill him… and make him disappear._

 _He HAS that power._

 **BANGG**

Max jumped.

Thunder.

Rain soaked the girls even more.

Though, the more Max thought it through, the more she realized that she had to do this with Chloe. They were pressed for time, and they had to act. Now. There was no turning back. Frank's life was in jeopardy. She could think of nothing else that could save him. Turning back to Blackwell for more help was a no-go. They lacked the time. And Chloe was right. Going to the police will not save Frank, either. Yes, she could time rewind to save them some time, but she did not dare touch her time rewind.

That ominous feeling was still ever-present and she was firm on saving her time rewind. It was her only hope on saving _anyone_ at this point. But it had to be for life or death. She could not spare using it on tedious things like this.

They had to go.

 _Now. We just need to go._

"Okay."

"Okay?" Chloe's eyes grew. "Okay. Okay."

Her hand, still in Max's, tightened.

"It's now or never, Max. Let's do this."

 _You're right, Chloe._

 _It's now or never._

 _It's NOW._

All of a sudden, Chloe pulled up the branch blocking them from entering the uninviting forest pathway and pulled Max after her.

They both kicked off hand-in-hand, their shoes hitting the muddy forest floor, weaving through the path as Chloe led on. Both girls dashed until they felt their lungs about to burst from the running and the freezing rain.

The canopy of trees overhead was thick, which made the forest feel obscure and dark. The only glimpse of light shone through the leaves when the electric white light of lightning illuminated the dirt pathway for just a millisecond.

Max's brain was racing quicker than her feet.

The off twig and leaf would hit her on the face, but it felt more like whipping since they were ice cold and wet.

The two ran frantically.

Their hands never let go as their feet hit the dirt, snapping twigs while they ran.

Max didn't even think twice.

She ran with Chloe as if their life depended on it.

Someone's life _did_ depend on it.

The only thing she could hear was her own gasping breath. The rain and thunder were still heavy, but the forest trees blocked out quite a lot of it.

It seemed like they had been running forever. Max tried her hardest to focus. She felt as if her legs would give out at any moment. She felt as if she might slip and fall if she spent even one moment looking at something other than the dark muddy trail and the back of Chloe's combat boots hitting the ground.

She forced herself to stay focused.

She didn't dare wipe any of the wetness on her face. Didn't dare look behind her.

They'd been running for what seemed like forever and Max felt herself starting to fade.

She focused on counting.

Counting her steps. Counting her pounding heartbeat.

Her heartbeat mirrored the rhythm of her feet.

She'd count to 100 and start over. Over and over.

Thump-thump.

Thump-thump.

Thump-thump.

Thud-thud.

Thud-thud.

Thud-thud.

Fast.

Quick.

 _Seventy-four!_

 _Seventy-five!_

 _Seventy-six!_

 _Seventy-seven!_

 _Seventy-eight!_

 _Seventy-nine!_

 _Eighty!_

 _Eighty-one!_

 _Eighty-two!_

All of a sudden, Chloe slowed down and let go of Max's hand. She almost ran into Chloe trying to slow down herself.

She used the sleeve of her wet sweater to wipe her face.

 _We're here! I think I see it!_

Max looked straight ahead at the branches that formed a small passageway. And beyond that, a glimpse of where they were. Scrap metal.

 _The junkyard!_

The sound of the unforgiving rain clanging as it hit scrap metal peppered through the junkyard.

It was pouring more than ever.

She wanted to throw up from the ice cold rain hitting her heated body.

But Chloe turned to her and told her to remain quiet. She watched as Chloe peered through the branches.

All of a sudden, something caught Chloe's eye. Her head turned towards where her eyes were set.

 _Oh man…_

"There…" Chloe muttered under her breath as she tensed her hands into fists and lunged out of the forest.

Into the rain.

 _Now or never._

Chloe barged towards the centre of the junkyard and Max followed after her, trying to keep up.

In the distance, she could almost see two tall figures near the centre of the junkyard.

 _Now… or never…_

 _Now… or never…_

 _Now… or never…_

 _Holy shit._

 _Holy shit._

 _Holy shit._

Max chanted over and over as they stomped towards them. Could they see _them_? Was it too blurry due to the rain?

They weaved through the junk laying around. Rusty cars piled on top of one another, the old abandoned school bus…

In a moment, she could make out exactly who she both feared and expected to see.

Frank and Nathan were immersed in their yelling.

Their mouths seemed to move angrily but the sound of the storm was so overpowering. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but their hands were raised – both inviting the other into a fight.

Max raised her hand and placed it at her brow above her eyes, trying to shield herself from the rain and see better. Frank and Nathan were too busy arguing to see them in the rainy distance.

She and Chloe approached the beams of an abandoned house frame and hid behind them.

Max could see Chloe's shoulders moving up and down. Her breath was obviously angry.

All at once, Chloe sprung forward.

She marched towards the two.

 _Chloe?_

 _No! Don't!_

 _What is she doing?!_

 _Chloe, please!_

As if out of instinct, Max ran after the blue-haired punk.

She watched in panic as Chloe tightened her fists and stormed towards the two men.

And then she watched Chloe inhale deeply.

And shout at the top of her lungs.

"HEY. ASSHOLE."

 _Holy fuck Chloe._

 _No!_

Nathan's head shot towards them. Frank's followed.

Spotted.

* * *

 **A/N: *cricket cricket* Is anyone still around? I'll explain why I was so afk in the very last chapter's A/N. I owe you that. It's been so so so long since I've updated. But I'm back and the story is done. There were three more chapters. And it's all written. This is the first out of three. As a gift to you because I took so long, I will be uploading daily. One today, one tomorrow, and the last chapter the day after.**

 **Stay tuned. xo**

 **P.S. LIS 2 was announced. Holy. I can't wait.**


	9. The End

**Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, abuse, violence.**

* * *

"You FUCKING Prescott TRASH!"

The dark, heavy rain poured on as Chloe stormed towards Nathan and Frank in the junkyard. Her boots sunk into the mud with every pounding step.

Chloe's penetrating voice sliced through the argument Nathan and Frank were having, completely cutting them off mid-sentence and getting their attention.

A flash of lightning illuminated the punk's frantic face.

Anger.

"Oh fucking Christ. It's you two again!" Frank said, spit shooting out of his mouth as he barked.

Chloe didn't take her eyes off of Nathan. He watched Chloe barge in on them – and Max trailing after her – while his startled face grew more and more calm. He raised one eyebrow and tilted his chin up just slightly, a sly sneer spreading on his face.

Chloe repeated herself. This time louder.

Fists tight.

"YOU ARE TRASH, PRESCOTT. FUCKING TRASH."

"Trash?" Nathan asked calmly, "Perhaps you should watch your tone."

The two girls reached Nathan and Frank.

"Perhaps YOU should cut the crap." Chloe said snidely.

 _Oh man, no one's around to see us._

 _And if something goes wrong…_

Max bit her lip, standing a little behind her girlfriend. Between the four of them, they formed a sharp triangle with Max and Chloe standing together and Frank and Nathan standing slightly apart on either side of them.

"I _am_ cutting the crap. Why do you think I'm here? The hypothetical crap is Frank Bowers here." Nathan chuckled, eyeing Frank. "I _was_ going to come have a little 'chat' with you two after, but you've made it so much easier for–"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, NATHAN! I know what you did," Chloe shot back at him.

" _We_ know what you did," Max joined in, raising her voice.

Frank burst out laughing. "Maybe you two little girls should go back and mind your own fucking business."

Max interjected, "No, Frank. This is about you, too. It's about all of us. Chloe. Kate. Rachel. God knows how many others..."

The two girls heard Frank scoff but they kept a careful eye on Nathan, watching as his spiteful sneer melted into a tense grimace.

"You two… bitches… know… fuck all," Nathan spat out tensely.

 _Please Chloe, he's dangerous._

"Oh ho ho," Chloe raised her arms out, "I think you and I _both_ know what you did."

 _Don't make yourself more of a target than you already are…_

Max stepped forward and spoke out, "And soon, so will the police. We have proof."

Frank boomed in. "The cops? Now why the FUCK would you go and do that?"

Nathan kept his eyes low.

Body tight.

"HAHAHA."

A hysterical laughter erupted from Nathan.

"Don't worry, Frankie. You have nothing to fucking worry about. The cops won't get to you." Nathan smiled, still staring down at the ground.

The rain fell on all of them, putting everyone on edge.

 _Yet Nathan seems too comfortable…_

 _What is he hiding?_

 _Think Max!_

Nathan went on, "Ask me why, Frank. Ask me why. Wait – no – no. I'll just tell you. Didn't you go around telling these two bitches something… maybe you… shouldn't have?"

Frank raised his eyebrows. "What the fuck are you talking about, you rich little prick? You KNOW what I'm about. You give me a call, I sell you what you want, you pay me, that's fucking it. THAT'S FUCKING IT."

All of a sudden, Nathan exploded.

"YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT," Nathan's head rose, his voice booming and eyes bulging. "GOING AROUND SAYING YOU SELL ME DATE RAPE. USE THEM TO FUCK WITH SLUTS AROUND HERE."

Nathan took a step closer and Frank raised his hands at the confrontation.

Yet, his tone remained accusatory as ever.

"Get your shit straight, you rich asswipe. I told these two fuck all!" Frank spat. "Go fuck yourself, Prescott. Find yourself a new dealer."

Frank was just about to turn away when Nathan shot his hands into his jacket.

And pulled out a small gun.

"HOLY SHIT," Max yelled as Chloe automatically stepped back, bumping into Max.

Frank froze, keeping his hands mid-air. He spoke carefully. "Relax, Prescott. I didn't do fuck all to you. I don't go around telling people what you like to do. Your fucking business. If anything, you should blame these two bitches! They have the loud mouth!"

He nodded towards Max and Chloe.

"WHAT?!" Chloe barked.

 _No._

 _Don't rile him up._

 _Please._

 _No._

Nathan closed his eyes and eventually opened them again. He kept the shiny revolver pointed straight at Frank as raindrops fell onto the shiny black barrel and slid down. His fingers gripped the trigger, his knuckles white with tension.

"Nathan, you have to calm down. Just… Just drop the gun," Max heard herself saying.

She hardly recognized herself.

Her voice was so small.

She quivered.

"Yeah, you're right about that, Bowers," Nathan mumbled, disregarding Max.

His face remained mask-like, completely lost in his own thoughts.

"Loud mouth bitches…" Nathan slurred under his breath.

Slowly, they all watched as Nathan guided the gun.

And pointed it away from Frank.

To Chloe.

And then Max.

The girls were frozen still in the rain.

A gun pointed towards them both.

Handled by a maniac.

They didn't dare flinch.

Max didn't even dare raise her hand to time rewind for fear that any sudden movement might set Nathan off.

Nathan kept his finger aligned on the trigger.

After what seemed like way too long, anger flooded his face.

He swung the gun, settling it back onto Frank.

"Do you wanna know what I think, Frank? Do you fucking want to know what I think?!" Nathan shouted, his eyes bulging.

Frank snarled. "Put the gun down, boy. Your rich twig ass can't handle a gun. You'll ruin your daddy's reputation."

"YOU don't know FUCK ALL what I can and can't do! I'm fucking TIRED of people underestimating me! Starting with you, Bowers. Chloe Price is fucking nothing. No one will believe a white trash punk. They're both fucking nothing. Max is just a snoopy piece of shit, Nancy Drewing around my room. They both have nothing. No proof, no nothing."

Nathan closed his eyes for a mere second, clenching them tightly and quickly reopening them.

He continued.

"But you, Frank… YOU are the reason they know in the first place. Honestly," Nathan smirked a nasty grin, "Watching you die would be so much more satisfying. Besides, without proof, Max and Chloe can't do fuck all–"

Unexpectedly, Max felt herself step forward.

"We HAVE proof, Nathan."

Everyone shot their heads towards Max.

Her voice beamed out.

Confidence.

From where? She didn't know. But Frank dying? Frank did not deserve this.

Neither of them did.

"We _do_ have proof," Max insisted. "Chloe and Kate… and Rachel when we find her. We know what you did to all of them. They can all speak out against you, Nathan! All of them! We know what you do and that's proof enough."

With his gun still pointed towards Frank, Nathan spoke out, "You know NOTHING. You think people will believe a bunch of sluts? HAHAHAHA. Get the fuck out of here, Max."

"You fucking… _raped_ me, Prescott," Chloe whipped back at him under her breath. "You hurt us _all_ and there's hella safety in numbers. When it's all of us against your sorry ass, I think the cops might sway our fucking way!"

Frank stepped forward, furrowing his thick brows in anger.

"The fuck? Raped? 'All' of you? What the fuck do you mean, _raped_? The fuck do you mean, Nathan? Because I _know_ you would never touch Rachel. Sure, talk about all that shit with other girls, joke about doing that to Rachel but… you wouldn't fucking DARE touch Rachel."

Nathan let out a snide chuckle.

Frank barked, "You fucking brave piece of shit. What the fuck did you do to her, Prescott?! What the FUCK did you do to her?"

"Watch your mouth, trailer trash. Let's not forget who's pointing the gun at who here."

Frank's eyes burned into Nathan. The veins in his neck poked out, as if wanting to burst.

Rachel was his girlfriend after all, and Frank did not have a clue how she ended up just disappearing out of the blue.

"You best tell me what you did with my Rachel, boy."

Chloe jumped in, "He fucking raped her and then sent her away! On a plane! Right, Max?! He wanted to shut her up so he got rid of her the best way he knew how."

Max quickly nodded in agreeance, backing her girlfriend up.

Her hands were shaking.

 _And thank dog we have proof._

 _Actual proof._

"R-right, Nathan? It's all in your little journal. Tell him," Max squinted as a gust of rain blew in her face, "Tell him about your sick hobbies!"

Nathan shot his head at Max.

"You nosy bitch," Nathan sighed until finally, he gave Frank a sick grin. "You want to know about how I _fucked_ Rachel? They're always so much tighter and warmer when they're drugged. Mm."

Frank's face contorted in fury.

His nostrils flared and his eyes flashed into tight slits.

Nathan smiled, glancing down at the gun as a reminder of who controlled the situation here.

And then slowly glancing back to Frank.

"All of them, Frank. And let me fucking tell you how goddamn sexy it is to run your hands over their lifeless bodies. Helpless sluts. All of them deserved it one way or another. At first, they always freak – not knowing what's happening to their bodies. Why their vision is blacking out. Why they're stumbling. Ropes will fix that right up. Keep them in place. Once they're fully out, well… you know. I like to capture the moment on film. For art's sake."

Nathan smiled.

Frank shouted, "YOU FUCKING PRICK –"

"Don't worry, Bowers. I took good care of Rachel. I was pretty lenient. But looking back, I shoulda killed that bitch when I had the chance. I guess I kinda regret it. But this was before all these fucking problems kept coming up. I was nicer then. She was going to start talking shit, so I just paid her off to leave. It was a win-win. That slut used me to leave Arcadia Bay and I used her _alllll_ up. Exactly how I wanted."

Nathan threw his free hand up in the air.

"But things were unfortunately different with the others. Or better… depends on how you look at it. The other nameless bitches are nobodies. They won't do fuck all. Kate Marsh is a depressed suicidal bitch who hardly remembers shit and everyone thinks is a slut. You too, Price. Hey, Bowers. Guess your drugs worked fucking well. Prime merch you sell, for a trailer trash bastard."

Frank's chest was heaving up and down.

"Where. Is. She." Frank said softly with fuming undertones.

 _Tell him, Max!_

 _Everyone will know the truth!_

"He put her on a plane! It's– It's all in his notebook, I swear!" Max exclaimed.

"We hella have you by the balls, asshole," Chloe added.

Nathan broke out into a series of chuckles.

"Smart little bitch, Max. That's right. A quick get-the-fuck-out-of-here one-way ticket," Nathan confirmed.

 _Ticket…_

Max recalled the email from Nathan's father that she found when she was snooping in his room.

 _Holy shit!_

 _That would explain the heated email from Daddy Prescott!_

It was all coming together. The emails, the cover-ups.

It all made sense.

 _No wonder Daddy Prescott was complaining about having to pull strings and cover up the one-way Express Airlines ticket he was billed!_

 _It was for Rachel._

"Oh, fucking wonderful," Frank spat angrily, "Using that loaded Prescott blood money to keep Rachel quiet – to save your own ass."

Frank tightened his lips. The girls could see that while he must be relieved that Rachel was still alive, for one thing, he was still raging pissed.

He stood there, tense, with his hands balled tightly into fists.

Max half-expected Frank to punch Nathan out, but she guessed that it was quite hard to make a move when Nathan still had his pistol pointed towards him.

Nathan shrugged, "Maybe you should ask yourself why your bitch didn't even bother telling you. I'll tell you. She didn't give a FUCK about you, Bowers. She dated you for your drugs. I mean, look at yourself. You're trash. Who would ever want your sad ass. But with me… she was all over me. It's a fucking great feeling to have girls all over your dick… but you wouldn't know the first thing about that."

Frank fumed.

Max could see his ragged pants, as if rage was running through the heated blood in his veins.

Nathan went on, "Rachel even wanted me when I knocked her out. HAHAH – she didn't even want you when she was sober! A little dry at first but she got soaked for me the more I did it. And she wasn't even aware… HAHAHA. Can't say a–"

"Shut the fuck up, Nathan!" Chloe screamed through the rain.

Nathan grinned right at Frank. "Can't say a fucking lowlife like you will ever know how that–"

That was all Frank could take hearing.

"YOU PRICK! YOU'D FUCKING TALK ABOUT THIS BULLSHIT WHEN I'D BRING YOU YOUR FUCKING DRUGS BUT I THOUGHT… FUCKING HELL, I THOUGH YOU WERE JUST DICKING AROUND, YOU PILE OF SHIT!" Frank yelled, rolling up his sleeves.

Max glanced at how flexed his arms were, how tense his whole body was.

Nathan gave him a nauseating smile. It was enough to push Frank over the edge.

The words burned on Frank's tongue.

Scorching.

Until he finally burst.

"FUCK YOU, PRESCOTT!" Frank lashed out, momentarily forgetting the gun pointed towards his chest. "FUCK YOU. YOU'RE A FREAK, YOU KNOW THAT? A SICK MINDED FREAK."

He was barely done yelling before he lunged forward.

Hands stretched out.

At Nathan.

Clawed fingers.

For his neck.

"No!" Max heard herself shout, immediately raising her arm towards Frank.

And then she heard it.

 **BANG**

Silenced.

A sharp and clean bullet.

It all happened so fast.

He pulled the trigger.

Once.

To his stomach.

Sending Frank flying back.

 **BANG BANG**

Twice.

This time, to his face.

A streak of blood seemed to trail in the air after Frank as he fell backwards.

Slow motion.

"NO!" Max and Chloe screamed in unison, hands outstretched towards Frank's sinking body.

 **Thud**

Frank's body crashed onto the muddy ground.

His limps clumped on his chest.

Wilted.

No longer angry.

No longer.

"FUCK YOU FRANK!" Nathan shrieked, his voice breaking through the thunderous rain.

He kept the weapon in the air, pointed at where Frank used to stand.

Where Frank used to be.

 _Used_ to be.

Max froze.

Her mind went completely numb as tears swelled up in her eyes.

Someone was just _shot_ in front of her.

She could hear Nathan mumbling to himself, well aware that the sociopath could turn on them at any moment.

Blood was gushing out of a dead person right before her.

She could see it.

She looked at the corpse.

The body.

 _Frank._

The blood seeped out of him. It almost looked black.

Only crimson red when lightning illuminated the scene, showing them what Nathan had done.

The gunshot in Frank's abdomen was not as evident.

It was neat.

Deep.

Max and Chloe had to squint to even know that he was wounded there, other than the small dark gash that was quickly staining his shirt.

Though, the rain helped.

Blood gushed, yet the rain quickly washed it all away.

Gushing. Washed away. Gone.

And repeat.

Gushing. Washed away. Gone.

Gushing. Washed away. Gone.

He kept bleeding.

Only to be absorbed into the mud.

No one will ever know.

Except for his face.

His face was a different story.

His face was annihilated and raw.

Blackish red meat. Exposed. Wounded.

 **BOOM**

The thunder warned them. They all flinched.

Raindrops splattered into the deep wound before them. Watery blood.

It took one glance at Frank's face for Max to gag. She was shaking.

His face was unrecognizable. One gunshot had torn open his forehead, taking part of his eyeball with it. The other had skinned the side of his head. A sliver of his ear hung down near his neck.

Nathan's mumbles passed through one ear and out the other.

"Show me… how you hurt… Bowers…"

Max glanced at the raw carnage before her and gagged again.

He was dead as can be.

It all happened so fast.

 _Gone… He's gone…_

"No…" Max whispered under her breath. So low that not even Chloe could hear.

She tried to blink away the sight, but rain kept falling in her eyes. It stung her face.

In-between tears, she glanced at Chloe who stood there numbly with her hand clawing into Max's arm.

Knuckled white.

Chloe gulped.

It took a few seconds for the adrenalin to rush back through the punk's veins.

"He just… Dead. He's dead. That asswipe… Shot right through the… Holy fuck… Frank… He…"

As she processed what just happened right in front of her, the blue-haired girl's slurs quickly turned into shouting.

"No… _NO_!" Chloe shouted. She whipped her head down, quickly disgusted at the sight of the corpse.

The sight of Nathan still holding the gun out. Smirking.

 **BOOMMM**

The thunder roared above them.

"That's what you get, you fucking trash!" Nathan kept yelling at the body.

Chloe shot her head at Nathan and then back at Max.

Immediately, Chloe grabbed Max and aggressively shook her.

"MAX PLEASE!" Chloe cried. "REWIND! REWIND TIME!"

Max froze.

 _Re…rewind?_

Nathan turned his head towards them.

Disorientation ran through her body, making her dizzy.

"MAX! NOW!"

 _But why…?_

 **BOOM**

The thunder shook her, as if slapping her to the face.

Chloe's concern was all she could see.

 _Chloe– oh god, Chloe!_

"MAX PLEASE!"

The urgency in her voice bombarding her.

And then it all hit her.

She had to do it. Now.

When Max clenched her eyes tightly and raised her hand, everything slowed down.

And brought the world to a stop.

Raindrops froze.

A sickish smile permanently carved into Nathan's face.

A gun fixed midair.

Everything came to a stop.

Except for her and Chloe.

"Max!" Chloe shouted. Both of her hands clutched onto Max's forearm, which linked her to Max as she froze time. "You HAVE to rewind now!"

 _But…_

Max felt so paralyzed.

All these things and words happening all at once.

 _Did she say rewind?_

Max squinted, trying to clear her head.

She needed time to think.

 _But if I rewind…_

"Rewind? Chloe I don't think…"

Chloe stared at her.

Max's hand was outreached, freezing time… yet not rewinding?

Chloe could not understand it.

"MAX! What are you doing?! You have to rewind!"

Chloe's eyes pierced through Max, expecting her to go back… save Frank… anything!

But Max just stood here, frozen in time.

 _No… that wouldn't… rewinding won't… I can't… it won't do anything!_

"I– I can't!" Max heard herself say.

"Max! Come on! What are you doing? Rewind! Raise your hand and concentrate or whatever the fuck you do!"

Chloe dug her fingers in Max's arm. Her face was wet from the rain but Max could see the tears building up in Chloe's eyes.

"Chloe! I can't use the last bit of my rewind on Frank…"

A pang of guilt hit Max.

She couldn't continue her sentence.

 _And waste it on him when you could be next!_

Chloe scrunched up her face in disgust.

"Someone just DIED, Max!" Chloe's eyebrows tilted upwards in pain. "How… HOW can you be considering _not_ rewinding?!"

 _Fuck, Max!_

"I– I don't think I can! And even if I could ... it won't save him, Chlo!" Max quickly countered.

 _It can't._

Chloe scoffed and blinked rapidly in disbelief.

"Max, I fucking hate Frank but I… we can't just let this happen! This has gone too fucking far!"

 _Too far…_

 _Chloe's right._

And then it hit her.

 _This has gone too far._

"…Point of… no return…" Max mumbled.

"No return? What are you talking about?" Chloe asked.

All of a sudden, Max looked up at Chloe and shook her head.

She realized something.

Even if she had the strength to rewind again, she knew it would not solve anything.

It would just happen again.

Frank would die again.

She couldn't do or say anything that would save him _and_ not put Chloe or herself in danger.

She was sure of that much.

The risk was too much and she couldn't afford to take it.

Her gut was insisting on it and, for once, she had to listen.

"Chloe," Max looked up at the blue-haired girl, "I don't think I can… I don't think it will save him."

"What? Why?" Chloe asked, her eyes wide. Demanding.

"I feel it in me, Chloe. I don't think I have enough in me to rewind again."

 _I'm weak…_

 _My time rewind feels so weak..._

Max looked down.

And went on.

"Damnit, Chloe. I'm not strong enough! I'm… I'm scared to try and fail. And then have to face Nathan. He could hurt you! He _will_ hurt you!" She kept her hand outstretched, holding time in place. "But even if my time rewind wasn't weak, it would not solve anything!"

 _It wouldn't._

Max repeated this to herself.

"What the hell do you mean?! It would PREVENT Frank from getting shot up! I don't know what the hell you're thinking right now, but you could stop him from dying! DYING, Max! Dying!"

Max looked up at her with sad, burning eyes.

"Chloe! Don't you get it? Please, hear me out. There is no way this would solve anything. You think using up the last bit of my time rewind will solve this all? It won't, Chloe! It won't. It can't. Sure, we might be able to stop Frank from dying at the hands of Nathan, but it won't save Kate. It won't prevent Rachel from leaving. And it won't save you, either," Max looked up at Chloe with pleading eyes. "It's not worth taking the risk. Using up my power and facing Nathan without any safety is _not_ the way! Frank is gone! This would have happened either way! And with the little time rewind I have in me, I'd rather use it to do this right and finish this once and for all."

Max took a large breath in and let the hot tears run down her face.

Selfish.

She felt selfish.

And this time, for once, she let herself be.

Considering the fact that they had to face Nathan and either of them could be next, she was certain that she'd much rather save her power just in case.

They were dealing with _Nathan_ , after all. And Max would surely not allow them to be at his mercy without any way out.

Without any last bit of time rewind to save them.

 _We've come too damn far to let him hurt again. We need to finish this!_

A quick memory of the recent past flashed through her mind. Bullets going through Frank, knocking him down. Killing him.

 _You have to put Frank out of your mind, Max._

Chloe shook her head, hardly able to understand.

"Do this right? How are we supposed to do this right by letting Frank just die?!"

"We need to be able to face Nathan and see this through, Chloe!" Max cried.

Chloe swiftly brushed the back of her hand across her cheeks, wiping away the burning hot tears.

"By letting him die? Right in front of our face? That makes us… as fucking shitty as Nathan! Don't you get it? We let him die, Max! What makes our lives so much more worthy than his? Worthy? Hella fucking not!"

 _But it has to be worth it if we make it out alive and stop him!_

 _Right?_

Max couldn't look her in the eye. She watched the blue-haired girl's lip tremble.

… _Right?_

 _Am I just as bad as Nathan?_

Tears streamed down the blue-haired girl's face.

 _Am I?_

"Chloe I…" Max broke down in tears. "I just don't know how to finish this and save everyone and make it all okay again!"

Max raised her teary doe eyes to meet Chloe's.

Her girlfriend shook her head sadly, brushed her hand on Max's wet cheek and softly said, "You can't save everyone, Max. It's too late for most of us."

Max bawled uncontrollably.

For herself.

For Frank.

For Chloe, who was already stained by Nathan's wrongdoings.

For the rest of the faceless girls.

The fingers on her outreached hand were shaking.

"It's too late for some of us and I guess that's just the way– just the way it has to be. You couldn't have saved Rachel. Me. That Kate girl. The others. You can't. There's just no way!"

 _Unless..._

And then it hit her.

 _Unless I…_

It hit her like a wall.

 _All of these things that happened in the past – they were all so unavoidable…_

 _Dominos falling in a line one after the other._

 _How could you be so blind, Max!?_

Max's tears came to an abrupt halt until, finally, she looked up at Chloe and whispered, "Unless I find a way to go all the way back."

So faint.

Chloe barely heard her.

But Max had a feeling that this was right.

Chloe looked at Max and proceeded cautiously, "What… what do you mean?"

 _It all makes so much sense! How can I possibly save everyone when it's already too late?_

… _Unless I go back…_

 _All the way back…_

 _So it's not too late._

Max's mind was flooded with thoughts. Ideas. Things were piecing themselves together. How could she not have seen it before?

 _The purpose of your time rewind._

 _It was never meant to be used on things like this! It couldn't have been._

 _It was never meant for this, Max!_

 _Is this what the universe has been trying to tell me?_

"Holy shit, Chloe! I get it! I get it all now!" Max screamed, clutching onto Chloe's arm. Chloe nodded warily and remained silent. "Listen to me, Chlo. This thing here… this fight with Nathan will not do anything significant! It's all so trivial and meaningless!"

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean–"

"The problem is much bigger than that!" Max shouted as her eyes pierced into Chloe's. She went on, "Changing HOW this fight with Nathan goes won't stop all the awful things that happened and will happen! I… I can't just stop that."

Chloe could not quite understand it. Why were they here, then? They had a plan. They got evidence against Nathan. They had him. They could get him to confess, find out where he sent Rachel, go to the cops! Why was Max saying these things?

She didn't know what to say.

So Max continued, speaking as fast as the thoughts ping-ponged in her mind.

Everything else sort of blurred away. Nathan, Frank, the gun, the notebook they stole.

She was beginning to see clearly.

 _It's too late, Max! Why couldn't you see that earlier?_

"My power, whatever it is, is almost used up. I can feel it! If I used it now on this trivial fight with Nathan, it would be the biggest waste. It has all been a waste. All of it, Chlo! This will not solve the bigger picture– nothing we have been doing has been solving the bigger picture!"

 _I think…_

 _I think it's…_

"It's too LATE!" Max exclaimed, brows raised in concern.

"But we have evidence against him, so what are you saying?" Chloe spoke slowly, demanding. "Because if you're saying that all of our work has been useless, then what are we doing here? What's the fucking point, Max?"

 _The point?_

 _What_ are _we doing here?_

"You're right," Max heard herself say breathily. "Trying to catch Nathan and get him into trouble is ultimately… useless. It brings no justice to those who suffered at his hand! How can we even try to make it out alive past him when he's holding a gun and just killed someone? We can try and if– _if_ by the small chance that we _do_ make it past him, we can try to go to the police. But will they do anything? Can we prove anything? Chloe! We have nothing! All we have is a stolen notebook! Will they even accept stolen stuff as adequate evidence to punish him well enough? Will it be enough to prove what happened? Nothing is certain! Justice is not… it's not certain. It… it could never be certain. Not this way."

Max took a deep breath, "We can't save Rachel, Kate… you. Sure, he might get a smack on the hand but I'm certain he'll just be able to run around free after. He has _power_ , Chloe! Our crappy little attempts won't stop him _or_ save those who have already suffered at his hand! It's too late for that. We can't prevent what's already happened. And we probably can't stop his power-strung ass from doing it again! And this is only _if_ we even make it out alive past him right now!"

Tears streamed down Chloe's face. She couldn't help it.

The feeling of being futile was overpowering.

But Max repeated herself.

"We can't prevent what's already happened. I'm starting to think that the only way to do anything significant is to restart."

Max clenched her fingers on her girlfriend's arm.

"All the way... And there's no way. It's just too late."

The realization hit Max like a breath of fresh air. The kind that was ice cold air on a freezing body. The kind that was so strong, it felt like shards of glass on your skin.

She couldn't read Chloe's face.

Why was her face so numb? So emotionless when she said that? What was going through her head?

Max wanted to throw up.

The only thing she knew she should had to do was impossible.

Felt impossible.

She immediately felt helpless.

Disbelief and panic intertwined to overshadow her hopeful idea quicker than she could process.

 _ALL the way back?!_

 _To before Nathan began his torture tactics?!_

But there was no way she could do that.

 _There's no way I could go all the way back!_

 _THERE IS NO WAY._

 _Right?_

 _This is beyond you!_

 _Right, Max?_

She finally realized what she had to do.

The only way to prevent all of this from happening was to go all the way back before it even started.

And she could not do it.

It was too late.

"I can't," Max whispered, defeated. "I barely have enough power. I can hardly go back one full minute before my vision starts blurring! _Days_? How the hell am I supposed to go back days when even 60 seconds strains me?"

Max let out a cry in disbelief. "Even if I could, where would I go? I wasn't even _there_ when those things happened! With Rachel… you… I wasn't ever there! How can I rewind back to somewhere I never existed in?"

Chloe shook her head numbly, "I don't know. I hella wish I did, Max."

"I can't do this. There's no way. I can't go to the start of Nathan hurting girls – I don't even know when that started! It could have started _years_ before I was even here!"

 _Fuck!_

 _Then why…?!_

 _Why do I have this power?!_

 _Why did I get this time rewind if it ultimately proved useless?_

 _Oh god, think Max!_

 _There has to be a reason._

 _These things don't just happen –_

 _Right?!_

Max clenched her eyes shut.

"Okay. Let's say I _could_ go back that far. I… I could only go back to when I first got my time rewind… until the moment I first got involved in all of this…"

Chloe looked straight into Max's eyes and softly said, "That day in the bathroom."

 _When she almost died._

She looked stiff and numb. Pale as a ghost.

 _No._

 _No way in hell can or will I do that!_

"And then what?!" Max cried out, letting her frustration with Chloe's comment show. "Stop Nathan from shooting you? And after that? Rachel was already out of town by then, you were already… hurt… Kate, too! That wouldn't even save half of you!"

Chloe glanced down, pursing her lips, and then looped back up at Max.

"No, Max," she said calmly, her face numb. "You aren't hearing me out…"

Max stopped and looked at her.

"Don't you get it, Max? _I_ have to," Chloe mumbled, as if she was realizing more and more as she spoke. "Fuck… I should have known. You don't stop Nathan from killing me… I either die, or I save myself and–"

 _Die… save…_

"What? No! No way. No way, Chloe!"

 _How could she say that?!_ Max angrily thought to herself.

 _Why else was I given that ability right at that time exactly?_

 _Why else would I be in that bathroom at exactly that time? She… would be dead without my power!_

 _Saving you is my whole purpose._

"No way in hell, Price! Saving you is why I was put in that bathroom. On that day. With that power. At exactly that time!" Max cried out. "Everything I've done so far, I've done for you, Chloe!"

Chloe looked away.

Max thought she heard her sniffle, but Chloe was numb. If she was holding back her tears, she wouldn't dare show it.

Max was staring deeply into Chloe's eyes, trying to catch her glance.

Begging, pleading.

But Chloe remained frozen.

Staring anywhere but at Max.

 _Why are you saying this, Chlo? Why?_

 _I can't stand to hear you say that shit– I can't bear thinking about what would have happened if I wasn't there to save you!_

Max frantically looked around her.

Her hand was still raised, holding time at a pause. The rain was frozen in place. As if it was a painting, eager to make it to the ground.

Chloe lowered her head.

The tears pooled up in her eyes. But this time, she let them roll down her cheek.

Max could not possibly see them anyway.

Then, quietly, she spoke, "I get it, Max. And I mean, hella thanks for trying. I wouldn't be here without you. But if I…"

She took a quick breath.

"If I died that day in the bathroom, things would have been different!"

Max shook her head, unwilling to hear her out.

But Chloe stressed it further nonetheless.

"Listen to me, Max! If you didn't save me, Nathan would have shot me, and… and he would have been caught. He would have been _caught_ , Max! A gun at school? Cops woulda been all over that!"

She turned to face her crying girlfriend and brought her other hand to hold Max's.

She tightly squeezed the crying girl's hand.

In love.

In sadness.

"Nathan would have been the first suspect since, Max, you saw it all! You would have seen it all. As a witness to what it should have been. A murder. Fuck–"

Her voice broke.

But she went on.

"Blackwell would have investigated Nathan and his ties to the Vortex club parties and they'd see a trail. A series of girls getting drugged and it will all lead back to Nathan! Your friend Kate– she would have brought up evidence against him how she was also drugged at a Vortex party while the Vortex club was actually being investigated! That would have been hella more believable… I don't think she would have tried to kill herself if people would have actually believed her, Max. And Rachel! Fuck… there would have still been time to find her before she got too far– cops woulda found out how he tried to send her away. They would have found her."

Max could not bring herself to say anything.

She couldn't.

She could hardly process what Chloe was saying.

All of these things. They seemed to make sense.

But she didn't want to hear any of it.

Yet, they struck a cord in her.

Chloe continued, saying her thoughts as they came into her mind, "But Nathan... even though everyone would be saved from him, he would still be all kinds of fucked up. The cops, though– they would get him help, right? They'd see how messed in the head he was. They'd get him help!"

Chloe closed her eyes. Her tears streamed down her face silently as she clenched onto Max's shivering hand.

She was calm.

"Max… you can't save everyone," she said serenely. "But you _can_ save _more._ And if that means I have to..."

Flashbacks hit Max like a bolt of lightning.

That day in the bathroom.

Seeing Chloe get shot.

Falling to the floor.

Dying.

Her stomach flipped.

All of a sudden, Chloe spoke in a panic.

"If that means I die, then I have to fucking die! You have to find a way, Max! You have to find a way to go back to that day in the bathroom!"

"NO! IT WOULDN'T SAVE YOU! AND YOU…" Max broke into a series of panicked tears. "YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON I'VE EVER CARED ABOUT!"

Despite Max's cries, Chloe remained numb.

Other than the silent tears streaming down her cheeks, she forced herself to be strong. To show no weakness. So that Max can see only truth in her words. And not be blinded by her sadness of what she knew should have happened.

Because, in reality, Chloe was aching so, so much.

She did not know why _she_ had to be the one in the bathroom that day who should have died.

She did not know that her death could have saved so many more.

She did not know why it was her and Max– and not anyone else.

But she had to ensure Max understood.

"I'm not worth it, Max," Chloe swallowed her sadness. "I should have died in that bathroom. It should have been me. Saving me fucked everything up. It probably has been what's been fucking with the weather, too. The messed up weather these past few days… it always happens after you rewind! It's fucking with the universe, Max! Because it was never supposed to happen! I was never supposed to be here!"

Max whimpered, overwhelmed by emotion.

"Don't say that, Chloe! You're– you're _everything_!" she babbled, as tears flowed in a forceful, unbroken stream.

"Think about it, Max! How many times have I nearly died!? Getting shot by Nathan in the bathroom, shooting myself when we were shooting bottles, the train, Frank stabbing me..." Chloe exclaimed. "Every single time, you've saved me and every single time, the universe has gotten more and more fucked up!"

Chloe shook her head and went on, "Snow, random-ass eclipses, two moons, blood red storms, and the tornado? Max. Every time you save me, the worse it gets."

Max couldn't stop crying, her lungs rummaging for oxygen.

"I'm here and alive and I owe you a shit-ton for that, Max. But you're basically tearing the universe apart by changing everything to how _you_ want it to be. With all the time rewind you've used on me, it seems like the universe it… killing itself. And I'm not worth it. One person could never be worth it. You know that."

"NO! Why would I get time rewind if it wasn't to save you?!" Max's cheeks burned from the tears, despite being frozen cold from the rain.

Chloe shook her head.

"I don't know, Caulfield. But saving me is screwing with the universe's plan. I'm sure of it. The more you save me, the worse it gets. Because I was never meant to make it."

Max looked right at Chloe, her eyes pleading and her heart breaking with every word.

"Chlo, yes you were! You're here for a reason–"

"NO. It's my _fate_ to die, Max!"

Chloe held in her whimpers, but the silent tears streaked down her pale cheeks. Cheeks framed by wet, blue hair.

That face that Max fell in love with.

It only took one thought of Chloe dying for Max to outright refuse her words.

"Fate?! Chloe, you think _dying_ will solve everything?! It won't! You DON'T know that. You CAN'T know that!" Max screamed as she gripped her girlfriend's hand even tighter.

"Think about it, Max! If you didn't save me, things woulda been a shit-ton better!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" Max cried. "Please! Stop saying that!"

She couldn't handle it.

Max tried her hardest to put up her defences, but what Chloe was saying was denting her walls with cracks of truth.

Truth she knew in the back of her mind was right.

If Chloe _did_ die, all of these problems would probably not have progressed.

Kate, the other girls, the weather, and now this.

She could not know for sure, but it was toointertwined to _not_ be true.

Max broke down.

Raw tears, raw emotions. She couldn't stop. She couldn't breathe. The air was too thick to swallow between her sobbing.

"Stop denying it, Max! Don't you get it? If you didn't pull that fire alarm, Nathan would have been punished for murder! The Vortex club would have been investigated and Kate would have gotten justice! Justice, Max, Justice! The others, too!"

Max was overcome with emotions. The thought of putting more people at harm because she intervened and saved Chloe completely weighed her down.

Sunk her.

"The others?" Max cried in-between sobs, "Nathan already got to them before me!"

Chloe calmly shook her head, squeezing Max's shaky hand. She cared for Max so much, but she had to make her understand.

Understand how they got to this point.

"That's true as fuck. So much crap went on long before you even got involved. But that day in the bathroom is both when I could have died AND when this could have all been put to an end. For once and for all. I can't thank you enough for saving me, Max, but when you got involved and stopped it, you made it go on further than it should have ever gone!"

Chloe hesitated for a split second.

"That day in the bathroom… is when you changed shit, Max. I know all of this probably sounds like a fucking joke to you. All this crap I'm saying… probably not even making any sense." Chloe gave her a small chuckle. "You thought what you were doing was for the better, but it dragged shit on and swerved away from getting solved!"

Chloe stared deep into Max's eyes, which were heavy with tears.

Her candid words were like a piercing knife to the stomach.

Yet Chloe seemed detached and numb.

In reality, she was trying her hardest to stay strong for Max.

Get her to hear her out.

Though well-intended, they could not drag this out any further after all the mess they've caused.

"And I hella don't blame you at all, Max! But the universe won't let you save the good AND prevent the bad, too! I guess… I guess I'm tryna say that you can't save me and expect Nathan to be punished, too. Hey, but let me say it again," Chloe gave her a small smile, "I do not blame you for trying. Ever."

"Chloe!" Max whimpered, "I can't think that saving you was a mistake– I just can't!"

Chloe looked down at Max with teary eyes, her voice breaking.

"You can't be selfish, Max. Saving me has hurt a lot of other people. And I know you don't want that."

"Please, Chloe! Don't put words into my mouth–"

Chloe squeezed Max's hand.

"Which is why you have to go back. I don't know how, but you need to go all the way back. That day in the bathroom. It's exactly– it's exactly what you need to do."

She flinched when she heard Chloe suggest the impossible.

But as much a she did not want to hear it, Max knew it, too.

She knew it before Chloe even said it.

If even a hint of what Chloe was saying was true, they would still be better off than they were in their current position.

Except for the fact that Chloe would die.

To save everyone else.

Save so many more that were hurt by Nathan.

Save Nathan, too.

And Arcadia.

"No! I can't!" Max bawled.

But Chloe made up her mind. She knew what had to happen.

She squeezed Max's hand.

Max squeezed back. Fast. Tight. Damp and wet.

Desperate.

"You have to let me die–" Chloe's voice broke. "–so everything else can fall into place."

Max let out a helpless cry.

It was as if everything was falling _apart_.

She did not even want to think about what she was so previously blind to realize.

Chloe would rather sacrifice herself – what she believed was meant to happen – to save everyone else.

Max couldn't help but hate it.

Hate it all.

No matter how sound it all was.

No matter how right it all was.

Max's heart sunk.

She just wanted to disappear.

Dissolve with Chloe.

Away from it all.

"Please, _please_ listen to me! You _know_ the only way to make this right is to go back– all the way back. But you can't do that, Max! You can't just fix it all before it even started and prevent everything. You can't! But the moment you came into this all means something. You can change everything just from that day in the bathroom! Let things go as they fucking _should_ have…" Chloe whimpered. "I know you can't go all the way back, Max, but you can go back as far as you can to hold Nathan accountable and prevent him from hurting others. Trust me, please! This is the only way to get justice!"

Max's body shook with each sob.

It was all just too much.

She could not agree to this. How could she? How could she agree to let her girlfriend die?

Even if that meant saving many others.

Max's stubbornness was evident.

But her love for Chloe was stronger.

She couldn't agree with Chloe. She knew Chloe was right, but she couldn't agree.

No matter what, she would always choose Chloe first.

"But I don't want to… I… I can't!"

She choked on the air she inhaled.

Chloe narrowed her teary eyes.

"Stop it, Max! You can't or you won't? Because there's a hella big difference between denial and disapproval. Trust me, I learned that the hard way. But this? This is just disapproval." Chloe blinked away the tears, but they just fell down her cheeks. "You think I want to die, Max? It's not about what I want! It's about what _should have_ happened. And what didn't happen. And what fucking _has_ to happen now! It was fate, Max, and you fucked with it. Now you have to go back and fix it."

She knew it.

The truth was tugging at Max. She knew she had to go back as far as she could to stop things from getting worse. She knew it.

But she could not bring herself to agree.

"I– I don't think I can! I already told you, Chloe! How can I go all the way back to that day in the bathroom when I can hardly go back a few minutes?! I just can't. And I won't, Chloe, I won't! I can't let you go like that…" Max sobbed.

Letting Chloe die just like that.

That would make her a murderer, too.

 _No way! I won't!_

She refused to let go.

"You have to _try_ , Max!"

"No!" Max found herself sounding more and more stubborn. But she persisted. "Listen, I believe you! I really do! That day in the bathroom was when I changed things and I know I have to go back! But… you saying that you should have died? Fate? I don't… believe in that bullshit, Chloe!"

As much as she tried to hold it in, her sobs punched through, ripping through her words. An uproar of non-compliant tears.

"You being saved and not following your 'fate' causing the universe to fuck up? I can't believe that! I can't believe in a fate like that, Chlo! The universe is too cruel and I– I just can't believe in that!" Max frantically shouted. She trembled, her words slashing through her cries. "I don't– can't believe in a fate like that! I have to let you die so I don't fuck up fate? And fuck up the universe? No. No! I refuse to believe that, Chlo!"

A pair of tears raced down the punk's cheeks. Max watched them roll. Her eyes shooting from her tears, to her eyes, to her hand which was still clutched onto her own.

Her other hand was still outstretched, shaking. Holding time in place.

She didn't dare lower it.

"Max, please. You can't save everyone– especially me! Because that's what is fucking up the universe. All this shit was never supposed to happen to the others. Kate, the other girls… that wasn't written in _their_ fate! And you messed that up the moment you messed with _my fate_!"

"No! You aren't listening! I don't believe in a fate like that, Chloe! There is no such thing... there– there can't be! You don't have to die! You don't have to do anything! Listen! NO ONE IS DESTINED FOR ANYTHING. YOU CAN _CHANGE_ YOUR OWN DESTINY." she shouted.

She said it.

Her words slid right under her skin so smoothly.

Slithered so unnervingly.

The more she spoke, Max's words seemed to strike a very deep cord within the blue-haired girl.

"Max…" Chloe said, barely a whisper.

Max stared deep into her girlfriend's teary eyes, extremely uneasy from her own words, her own thoughts.

"Chloe, if it's _ME_ who's messing with your fate by saving you…" Max gulped. "Am– am I the… third party intervening with your 'fate'? What if I just… don't? …And… and… you take hold of your own fate?"

"What are you saying, Max?!"

" _Chloe_!" Max exclaimed. "If it's me who's messing with your fate by saving you… well, you need to save _yourself_."

Chloe froze.

Max almost froze, too. She could hardly comprehend what was coming out of her mouth.

But it all just came to her.

It hit her hard.

And she had to say it.

"I _cannot_ let you die…. but I cannot save you, either," Max spoke slowly. It all came to her so fast. It was almost too much to handle, but she kept going. "You need to save yourself! Chloe… you said it before… you said that I can't save the good _and_ prevent the bad. But I can cheat."

"I– I don't–" Chloe stuttered, obviously shocked.

 _Could Chloe take hold of her own 'fate'?_

 _And hence change it?_

 _Holy shit, Max…_

 _If I don't intervene…_

 _I don't mess with her so-called fate!_

 _And don't fuck up the universe…?_

Max could hardly handle it herself.

The thoughts just came racing into her mind. As much as she could hardly understand them, it also made so much sense.

Something so crazy, yet so clear. And that duality scared her.

"Chloe. You need to save yourself. There is no static fate. You can change your future. That's how it should have been. You save yourself," Max said plainly, "and the rest falls into place. That's how it should have happened."

 _Chloe must die?_

 _No!_

 _Fate?_

 _You make your own fate!_

 _I…_

 _I get it now._

 _Holy shit, I get it all now._

Max thought it over again. No matter how many times she thought it over, it all came back to the same conclusion. It was all so perfectly clear.

One thing was for sure.

Death.

However, the details in-between were flexible.

And those details can be changed.

Anyone can change them.

"You mean… You mean it's up to me?" Chloe slurred, her eyes wide. It was all so clear now. Max's words hit her hard. And absolutely broke her down. "Fuck… I– I– Fuck, Max! It was always up to me, wasn't it?"

Max nodded gently.

"We need to go back somehow," Max finally agreed, but for different reasons than initially offered. Max bit her lip. "It's the best that I… we can do. You need to save yourself. But how? How am I supposed to… how do you…?"

Chloe's shock quickly melted into sadness.

"What if you go back… all the way back to the bathroom… alone? And somehow, uhh. You could go back along and warn me. Warn me to watch out. I can save my own ass. It's just that... We would… Fuck. _FUCK!_ "

Chloe held in a heavy stream of tears, knowing full well that if Max went all the way back alone, Chloe would forget everything.

Her heart sunk.

All their kisses.

All they've built up until now.

Back to strangers.

"We would lose everything," Max whispered, as if she could read Chloe's mind.

She could now see the fault in her plan. Something she thought to be so right, so perfect…

The dark undertones were making themselves evident.

The clarity was stained black.

"Going all the way back alone would mean…" Max looked up at her girlfriend, the tears pooling in her eyes. "You would lose everything, Chloe."

"We could... we could start going out again. Right? You would remember. Because you can go back and hold onto everything you know, even if I would forget. So… just do exactly what you did and we'll end up together again, right? Fuck. Right, Max?" Chloe stated, obviously pained.

 _Re-do everything?!_

 _But how will I be sure that it will work?_

 _No!_

 _I can't be sure. I can never be sure._

 _That's too risky, but…_

 _I'd be giving up my…_

 _My love for this girl to save many other people._

 _Isn't that worth it, Max?_

 _Isn't that what Chloe wants? Shouldn't you put her first, like you said you would?_

 _Fuck! Max, you hypocrite!_

No matter how much she tried to convince herself, she could not feel at ease with this. How could she? How could she just erase what she and Chloe have?

 _If you go back…_

 _You'll miss out on everything._

 _All the memories._

 _All we've done together._

 _All we've been through._

 _Fuck, Max, fuck!_

"Chloe, I don't…" Max sighed, heavy with grief. "The reason we got so close was because of this whole mess. Take the mess out of the equation and would we still end up together?"

This mess was such an important variable.

It could surely alter everything.

It _would_ surely alter everything.

Neither Max nor Chloe wanted that.

So was it still worth it?

Max shook her head in worry.

"Take a person's memories and you change who they are," Max said softly.

A pair of tears ran down her girlfriend's cheeks.

"No! I can't just… erase everything we've built up!" Max cried, "I _want you_ , Chloe! I need you... I need you to come with me! Wherever I go. We're in this together."

"Wait – Come… with you…?" Chloe wiped the streaming tears with her sleeve and she sniffed.

 _Come…_

 _Come with me, Chloe._

"We were always in this together, Max." She gave her a small smile. "Until now. I guess. How can you take us _both_ all the way back to that day?"

 _I have no idea._

"I uh… I don't know how much my power will hold up. A few minutes? I can hardly manage that. But… days? I don't know, Chlo. I'll try."

Chloe looked around. The world was blurred grey around them, frozen by Max's hand.

"That's all I ask," the blue-haired girl said with a weak smile on her face. She was completely saddened at the thought of having to give up what they had in order to save everyone and restore things back to normal. Back to safe. But she knew it would not work. How could it? That would be impossible. But she was not about to blow out the already-small flame of hope that Max clung onto.

Chloe was giving up.

Or, in her head, giving _in_ – giving in to the idea that maybe they weren't meant to end up together. Maybe they had a bigger purpose.

To save everyone else.

Chloe undoubtedly did not trust 'the universe' and its plans. After all, what has she done to deserve happiness? She could not assume that their happiness was a priority. In her past, it never was. So, it probably will never be.

And that's how the world worked for her.

But she knew Max had hope.

She wanted to save everyone. Was that possible?

Chloe saw the small spark in Max's eyes. Hope was all she had. Hope and love.

She would never take that away from Max.

If Max wanted to try, then so be it. Chloe would never be the one to hold her back.

It was all they had, after all.

And, in the end, if it didn't work, then she wouldn't be losing much anyway.

Either way, she'd probably lose Max anyway. So what was the harm in trying? Maybe Max had a point. Maybe fate didn't define her path. Maybe they could cheat.

It was all a maybe.

And if it meant figuring out a way to _try_ to clean up the mess they caused, she was all for it.

"Okay." Max took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, but the exhale came out shaky. "Okay! I mean, if the worst happens… we die. And we're already close to that if we stick around here with Nathan and his gun. Crap. We have to try. There has to be a way to go back to that day in the bathroom… there has to!"

 _If I've gotten this far, there has to be a way…_

 _Please, please let there be a way._

 _There's always a way._

 _Think, Max, think!_

"Let's think this shit through, Max. I hella don't want you to hurt yourself. More than you would otherwise." Chloe side eyed the brunette. "If… if you pull this off, it would be a big fucking time rewind."

"The biggest…" Max trailed off, her face lost in thought.

 _How do you pull this off Max?!_

 _CAN you pull this off?_

Even thinking about exerting her power to that extent completely exhausted Max. She could not even begin to imagine the splitting headache she would get from this attempt.

Going back a few minutes, especially as of late, bled her nose and strained her mind to the point where she wanted to collapse.

But, days?

"Hella, Max…"

Chloe looked concerned for her girlfriend.

"I just… need to remember it. That day in the bathroom. I always have to clearly think of the place I want to rewind back to in order for it to work. I have to remember the bathroom…" Max mumbled.

 _Focus, Max, think back!_

Chloe scrunched her eyebrows.

"Yeah. I guess you have to think back to what you were doing before I got to Blackwell and everything was dipped in shit when I met up with Nathan. Weren't you in class or something, Max?"

Max bit her lip, deep in thought.

"In Jefferson's photography class. I left to go to the bathroom… I– I think I left to the bathroom after class. To… wash my face! Shit, yeah, I was in a crap mood after class! And then…"

"I showed up?" Chloe asked.

Max exhaled, confused.

"I think so? I… it's blurry, Chlo. I need to concentrate if I want to try to go back that far, but… fuck, the details are hard and they all get mixed up or something…"

"Come on, Maxaroni… I know you can do this–"

"Chloe," Max squinted, as if she could remember better. "Everything is such a blurred memory… That was the day I had that first bizzaro dream vision in class and everything seemed just so _unreal_ that day…"

The details were undeniably hard to recall and it was already difficult for Max to calmly recall the order of her actions that day – all the more so recalling the fine details of things.

"Fuck, Chlo. It's hard for me to picture it right now…"

She had a splitting headache.

Too much was going on.

"Damn, Max. If only you had, like, an actual picture of it all. To help you remember or whatever," Chloe rambled.

Max tilted her head, as if Chloe had activated something trivial in her.

 _A picture?_

Chloe pressed her lips together and looked around her, lost in thought. "A photo would hella remind you of what you saw, right? Help you picture where you were so you can actually go back or some shit? Weren't you in that bullshit photography class? Frig, aren't you supposed to take photos and shit? Maybe you took some–"

 _Shit! I didn't take a photo but I HAD a photo–_

"I ripped it up! Fuck, Chlo. It was the photo I wanted to submit for the Everyday Heroes Contest!" Max sighed and slowly shook her head. "But that wouldn't have helped anyway. It wouldn't help me remember that day. The photo was me in my dorm room and it was taken before that day in the bathroom… and I don't remember taking any other–"

Max gasped.

 _OH FUCK!_

 _I DID._

 _THE…_

"The butterfly! Holy shit, I did take a photo. Right before you walked into the bathroom!"

"Fuck, Max. What are the odds? But do you even have it with you?" Chloe asked.

"Uhh…" Max hurriedly looked down at her book bag. "If I do, it's in my diary in my bag."

 _And if I_ do _have it with me, maybe Chloe's right._

 _Maybe it will help me go back in time._

 _I just need something to refresh my memory…_

 _Something… anything._

"I got it." Chloe reached down towards Max's book bag with her free hand. Considering Max was using one hand to freeze time in place and the other to lock Chloe in her time rewind, Chloe went ahead and shoved her hand in Max's bag.

The punk couldn't exactly take out the diary and page through it since she only had one free hand herself, but she did her best to thumb the pages of her girlfriend's half-closed diary in the book bag.

She passed various polaroids sticking out from the pages until finally, she saw a glimpse of what Max was describing.

The photograph was there.

Tucked away for safekeeping.

"Fuck yes, Max!" Chloe pulled out the crisp polaroid of the blue butterfly.

"Shit, that's the one, Chloe!"

 _Those glowing blue wings!_

"I took this right before you came in! I was ripping up my photograph for the contest and feeling like shit when I saw this fluttering around! I followed it off to the side of the bathroom and it sat there for me. So perfectly… Yes! It's coming back to me!"

"Maybe it could help you remember that day!" Chloe beamed.

Just as she said that, Max was hit with a flashback.

The whispering flutter of the curious butterfly.

Her vision blurred.

Began warping.

Its electric blue wings.

 _Oh my god…_

 _What is happening?_

Max stared into the photograph and she could almost see herself in the bathroom again, right then and there.

Max snapped out of it when Chloe squeezed her hand.

"Is it working? Do you sorta remember?!" Chloe asked.

Max gulped.

 _I think this might actually work._

"Yeah. Yeah, it did. I think this could actually trigger my memory… Maybe this could actually work." Max stared into her girlfriend's deep blue eyes. "Holy crap, Chlo."

Chloe gave a sharp exhale. "So… we're doing this. We're going back."

It was more of a timid question than a statement. They were about to try to go back to the day she almost died. And she'd have to manage? She hadn't even given it a thought as to _how_ this would pan out. Other than the general conclusion that they had to go back and Chloe had to save herself.

The punk's own nervousness was evident.

Max could sense Chloe's worry, but she was worried herself. Just jumping in to try and do the biggest time rewind she's ever had to do was new to her.

And in her situation, new was dangerous.

 _How would this even work? What happens to the Chloe in the bathroom? Instead of walking in to meet Nathan, she'd just… be there? To confront him?_

 _Fuck, Max. What if it doesn't work?_

 _No!_

 _You have to try!_

 _But what if…_

Max was overcome by anxious thoughts, but she just nodded. It was hard to speak.

"W… Wait, Max," Chloe fumbled over her words. She gazed down at her girlfriend. The most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. She felt more vulnerable than ever. "I… I don't know if this plan will work. I know one thing. We can't stay here. You have to go back to that day. And we have to try to fix things. For everyone else's sake. But I don't know if–"

"It'll work? I know, Chlo," Max whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

Losing Chloe was a thought that was consistently in the back of her mind. And now, it just seemed so real. So possible.

She felt as if she was jumping off a cliff blindly.

No control.

It was out of her hands.

Chloe tightened her lips to suppress her trembles.

Max looked up at the girl she loved. "We can't know for sure, and I know _that_ for sure. But you _know_ what you have to do, Chloe! I trust you! I trust you to try. To try and get us out of this mess. It's all we have. It may not work and we could both…"

Her eyes overflowed with tears.

"… but we have to try," Max continued as her voice shook.

Chloe squeezed Max's hand and gave her a sad smile. Giving herself into the universe without control was daunting, but at least she had the one person she loved most right beside her.

"No matter what happens, Max, I'm with you till the end. Always." Chloe tilted her head softly and smiled. "You're my Everyday Hero, Caulfield. Every day and forever."

Max shook her head softly. "No. You're your own hero, Chloe."

Chloe went silent.

The brunette's emotions were overwhelming.

Her tears flowed freely.

Max continued, "I now see how _right_ this is. What we're doing now. Chlo, my time rewind is like… like a tool. To help you. _You_ , Chloe."

A puzzled look quickly formed on Chloe's face. "What do you mean? It's about Arcadia… Saving everyone else. And maybe me, if this shitstorm works out…"

Max shook her head rapidly as she tried to gather her words, her eyes glancing at her feet.

"Exactly. It is. For me, it's always been about you, though. Listen, Chlo. Everyone has an angel… But what happens when your angel is gone?"

Rachel's smile from the grey missing posters flashed into Max's mind for a brief second.

"Max, what are you talking about?"

Max spoke so softly. Almost a whisper. "You say Rachel was your angel, but what happens if she isn't here anymore? I came into your life again… Maybe that's why…" Max looked up at Chloe intensely. "Maybe that's why my powers were given to me.

The blue-haired girl's mouth slightly fell open, but she said not a word.

"This is going to sound _so_ strange, but think about it, Chloe. Everyone has a guardian angel. They protect us. They watch over us. They hold our hands, whisper guidance, hint at warnings. Daring us to fight. They help us in their own little ways. But they don't fight out battles _for us_."

Chloe's face remained blank and expressionless.

"Don't you see, Chloe? My time rewind feels like– like it was just a tool to help you. It won't solve shit! _You_ have to do that. But it'll help you do it. I'll help you do it. That's all I can do. I think that's all I'm supposed to do…"

"Max…" Chloe whispered, shocked.

"It's you, Chloe. It's you."

"I– I can't…"

"No, Chloe. You are the only one who _can_." Max looked up at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "I am just here to pave the path for you. If we can save the others in the end, that's a bonus. To save you, I have to avoid saving you. I'm just here for you. Hold your hand, support you. Remind you that it's _you_. Save yourself, Chloe. That's it."

A wave of cool shivers ran through Chloe's body.

"I love you, Chloe."

Without saying a word, Chloe leaned in on Max's body and pressed her cheek along her girlfriend's. It was soft and warm, despite the freezing cold wetness that layered her skin from the storm.

"I've always loved you," Chloe whispered, almost inaudibly. She placed a gentle kiss on the nape of Max's neck and drew her face away from her until she was facing Max again.

This time, closer.

Their noses touched gently. She felt her warm breath on her lips.

Realizing how hard this must be for Chloe, Max let her eyelids softly fall and leaned in.

She kissed her then.

It was the kind of kiss that made her feel the love she had for this girl throughout her entire body.

Chloe pressed her body up against the brunette– wanting, needing to be closer.

Max's hand was still outstretched to hold time and she wished she could wrap her arms around her girlfriend one last time. Chloe's body felt so, so good on her.

Right here, like this. In the midst of chaos, their kiss is what she knew pure emotion to be.

This is what home felt like.

She squeezed Chloe's hand even tighter, as if to try to translate her love through the force of their connection.

Max felt Chloe's lips melt onto hers as her tender lips moved with her girlfriend's.

She loved her. And she deepened the kiss with force as Chloe's sweet tongue parted her lips ever so slightly and traced her own.

Softly, Chloe pulled away, leaving the brunette speechless.

"Max," whispered Chloe. "This is it. Let's do this. I just… hope you don't forget me. After all that happens. Anything could go wrong."

Max softly nodded and glanced down at her bag.

"I have an idea," Max spoke. With the hand that was holding Chloe's, she moved her girlfriend's hand and placed it on her own waist. Thinking that they only needed to touch– anywhere– to be together in time, she let go.

They were still there, together.

Chloe watched as she shoved her now free hand in her book bag and dug out a black permanent marker. Carefully taking off the cap of the marker, she slowly unfolded Chloe's hand that was still holding the polaroid of the blue butterfly.

She was able to keep the photograph firm in-between Chloe's fingers and still have access to her bare palm.

Max looked up at Chloe and then back down at Chloe's palm.

"In case this fucks us up and... in case we forget," Max whispered.

 **ily.**

 **always.**

 **remember**

 **me.**

Chloe eyed what Max wrote. "I love you, too, but–"

"– I'm with you till the end, Chloe. I hope you always know that."

Chloe remained silent until, finally, she spoke.

"I know, Max."

Her words were like fuel to fire. The more she spoke, the more intense Max's love felt. She would die for this girl in a heartbeat. But she hoped, with all the hope she ever had within her, that Chloe would make it out alive in the end. And it would be a better situation than it would have been now.

Max did not know what would happen to her once she would go through with this time rewind, but if small rewinds give her head-splitting pains, where would that leave her once they go back for days?

Though, it did not matter.

Nothing else mattered.

Just Chloe.

Chloe making it out alive.

A single desolate tear ran from Max's unblinking eyes.

Chloe leaned in and kissed the falling tear.

"My turn," Chloe spoke.

And so they switched.

Max placed her free hand on Chloe's waist, preserving their connection, and gave Chloe the black marker.

Chloe carefully turned the hand Max was using to stop time towards her. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to be able to write something on her open palm.

 **wherever**

 **you are**

 **is where**

 **i'll be**

Chloe gave Max a small smile and softly kissed the tip of her nose.

She let the black marker fall back to the bottom of Max's book bag and took hold of Max's hand again.

"Okay, Max," Chloe turned the polaroid of the blue butterfly towards Max.

They intertwined their fingers, gripping their hands as tight as they could.

"Here goes."

Max took a deep breath in.

She let it all flow out.

She stared at the polaroid of the blue butterfly.

And then she focused.

All of a sudden, the scene went cloudy.

The angles of her vision began to smudge and she quickly began to hear echoes of voices.

Of that day.

She class she had just finished…

The people in the hallway…

Lockers shutting.

Muffled chatter.

The squeak of the door as she walked into the bathroom.

The cool bathroom air on her skin.

Max focused on the photo harder.

She could hear the running water. Feel the ice cold water splash her face.

And then she saw it.

A mere glimpse.

The vivid colours of the butterfly…

The hazy bright light in the bathroom…

It was all coming back…

And then…

 _It worked._

The time around them warped completely and it felt as if a gush of wind had pushed them.

The feeling of falling backwards.

Seeing nothing but blurs.

The hurried feeling washed over them.

Until finally…

It stopped.

And everything fell back into place.

One by one.

Warped colours painted the setting.

 _No…_

 _Way._

Max turned to her side.

"Chloe!"

Chloe's mouth gaped open.

"No fucking way. No fucking way, Max!"

They stared straight ahead, seeing themselves in the bathroom mirror.

"We're back… holy crap, Chloe! We're in Blackwell! Max cried. She stared at her reflection, hardly believing her eyes. She felt no different.

Chloe let go of Max's hand and walked up to the sinks.

"You did it, Max… I can't believe it."

Suddenly, an abrupt pain struck Max's head. So sharp, she couldn't even speak from the piercing pain.

"Arrrrghh!" Max grabbed the side of her head with her hand, slumping over the sink.

"Max!?" Chloe rushed up to Max, wrapping her arm around her shoulders.

Max pried open her eyes, but her vision was peppered with grey splotches.

"Oh god, Chloe… I… I don't think I can do time rewinds again…" Max said.

The initial pang of agony slightly seemed to simmer, and there was something in her that made her believe that her powers were up. No more.

"What do you mean?" Chloe brushed a strand of hair behind Max's ear and caressed her hot face.

"The pain. It's… It's different this time."

"Shh, it's okay, shh…" Chloe continued.

All of a sudden, Max pushed past the pain and stood straight up. "Oh god, Nathan is coming soon. He must be."

 _We don't have much time…_

 _Please take care of yourself, Chloe._

 _I can't save you this time._

Just as Chloe was about to nod in preparation of confronting Nathan, something caught her eye.

"Max, look!"

The girls turned their heads towards the back of the bathroom where an electric blue butterfly was fluttering around.

"The blue butterfly!" Max cried, pushing past her splitting headache. They hurried near the back of the bathroom and followed the butterfly near the corner, hidden from the world.

Hidden from the eye of anyone entering the bathroom.

"Chloe, look," Max pointed towards the butterfly.

"I think it's trying to escape, Max." Chloe walked up to it and opened the bathroom window.

Max watched as the butterfly stumbled towards the fresh air and hurriedly flew outside.

Chloe turned towards her girlfriend.

"It was trapped, Max," Chloe said.

"It's a sign," the brunette whispered through the throbbing.

"What are you talking about?"

"Chloe," Max squinted in an attempt to ignore the pain. "You know how people say time heals all wounds?"

Chloe walked up towards her and slipped her hand in Max's.

"Yes."

"Well, what if time ran out? Do you think that love could heal what was left?"

Max closed her eyes and brushed her hand against Chloe's face, feeling the outline of her face.

Feeling Chloe nod.

"I do think that," Chloe whispered. "Whatever happens, I hella love you, Max."

Max gave in to the throbbing pain in her head and allowed herself to slouch against the wall, hidden out of sight.

"You stay here while I handle Nathan," Chloe said, giving her girlfriend a quick kiss on the lips.

Max looked up at Chloe.

"Chlo… Please. Please, be carefu–"

"I know. I will."

Before Max could insist, they were interrupted.

Sounds of footsteps.

Angry footsteps.

Echoing off the hallway floors and heading towards the bathroom.

Nathan, no doubt.

With a thud, the bathroom door flew open and Nathan stormed in.

Before Nathan even had a chance to do anything, Chloe stepped out from the back of the bathroom, leaving Max in hiding on the floor.

"Prescott."

Nathan looked up at the blue-haired punk, startled that she was there before him.

Chloe, of course, expected him and had to ensure she was constantly one step ahead of him if she wanted to make it out alive.

"What do you want, bitch?" Nathan spat, inching up to Chloe.

She had to play smart.

She had to out-play him.

Chloe stared him right in the eye, not daring to step backwards.

Not daring to show intimidation.

"I know you have a gun. And guess that? The police know, too," she said confidently.

She knew full well that the police did indeed _not know_ , but she had to trick him.

It was her only chance.

"You fucking whore!" Nathan growled, obviously caught off guard. "Are you testing me!?"

Max sat behind the hall, listening to them fight.

She held her breath and felt head pound even more.

Hoping, praying, that all goes okay.

Not daring to make a sound.

To give them away.

"I wouldn't fucking do that if I were you," Chloe firmly stood her ground, watching Nathan reach for the inside of his coat.

"Don't– don't fucking tell me what to do!" Nathan spat at her. He grabbed the gun in his coat and pointed it towards her. "The fuck do you want, you cunt?! Why'd you ask me to meet you?!"

 _Oh my god…_

 _Please, no._

 _He must be pointing it at her!_

 _Oh god, please no._

 _Oh, Chloe! Please, please don't get hurt!_

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows. "I know what you fucking did to Rachel and Kate. And I know what you did to _me_. Everyone knows. Blackwell has just been notified, you prick. Same with the cops. Your bitchass family, too. Do you really want to fuck up _even more_? Wrong move, Prescott. Wrong fucking move."

"SHUT UP!" Nathan screeched in an infantile manner. "Why are you doing this?!"

Chloe watched as Nathan's face contorted and his chin trembled like a distressed child.

A child pointing a gun at her.

She had to get rid of it.

"Why?" Chloe took a step towards him, ignoring the pointed gun. "Because you're fucked up, dude. You need hella help."

"You don't know shit! You… You…" Nathan babbled. Chloe kept her eyes on the gun and to her surprise, the unthinkable happened.

He was lowering it.

He was lowering the gun!

However, behind the wall, Max could not hear anything.

And the silence was deafening.

 _What is he doing?!_

 _Please… please don't shoot her!_

 _Do something, Max!_

"You don't wanna do this, Prescott…"

Max heard Chloe's voice.

She felt so useless just hiding back there.

 _If she gets him to put it down, will we still be able to go to the police? With what proof?_

And then it hit her.

Immediately, Max shoved her hand in her book bag and yanked out her polaroid camera.

Before she could even think through what she was doing, she peaked from over the wall.

Instantly spotted by Nathan.

"HEY!" he shouted.

"Max!" Chloe whipped her head back to her.

In a heartbeat, Max clicked her camera.

The flash momentarily stunning them all.

"Now we have proof," Max shouted. "Pointing a gun at Chloe? Can't really stage that–"

"YOU BITCHES!"

Something went off in Nathan. What he once felt as vulnerability turned to deep rage.

Tricked.

Something snapped.

Immediately, Nathan raised his gun again.

This time, at Chloe's face.

"Nathan. Calm down…" Chloe raised her arms in the air cautiously and slowly stepped towards him.

"No!" He shouted. His hands were shaking as he was backing up, ready to shoot. "For the last time… Don't… fucking… tell me… what…"

Chloe did not let him finish.

She lunged towards him, slapping the gun out of his hands.

The gun swooshed across the bathroom floor by Max's feet.

Nathan did not even process what happened.

He just reacted.

Violently.

"Arghh!" Nathan barked.

With raw anger, he lunged back at Chloe.

But Chloe was too fast.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed.

She pushed him down.

With all her force.

"DON'T TOUCH ME EVER AGAIN!" she screamed.

As if in slow motion, Max and Chloe watched Nathan lose his balance.

And fall.

Crashing down.

Hitting the side of his head on the sink on his way down.

Neither Chloe nor Max could bring themselves to say anything.

They heard the thud of his body.

Followed by absolute silence.

 _What just…_

"Holy fuck…" Chloe whispered under hear breath.

… _happened?_

His body remained lifeless for a split second, until suddenly, he cried out.

Shoulders shaking, curling up in fetal position.

Nathan began to cry, completely overwhelmed.

Max and Chloe looked down at him.

Max felt sorry for him. He needed help.

 _Outplayed and outsmarted._

 _Thank god for that._

 _Oh, Chloe!_

 _You did the right thing._

 _Better to get him help than killing you, Chloe…_

"Max," Chloe heard herself saying. She backed away and rushed over to where Max was sitting. "We need to leave."

Max felt Chloe wrap her hands around her arms and lift her up. She could hardly see through the pain.

"We… We did it. We made it," Max beamed.

Max held onto Chloe's waist for support as they staggered their way out of the bathroom.

Straight to the police.

* * *

 **A/N: Phewf. You just finished reading my version of the ending. Because I wanted more closure than the game gave me, I thought up an ending that made me ultimately more… at ease. And I tried to connect the dots as best as I could while staying true to the essence and plot of Life is Strange. For example, in my version of the story, Max doesn't know she can time rewind using photographs. Remember that my story ended near the end of Episode 3 after Chloe and Max fought in the truck. In the game, Max goes back to her dorm and discovers this power. In my story, that doesn't happen. Writing how Max comes up with the idea to even TRY to use photos to go back in time was difficult. But fun. Connecting the dots 'n all. Also, a small part of me was influenced by the movie Sucker Punch. And the movie Kimi No Na Wa. Both are so great.**

 **I planned this ending a long time ago. As you may know, I went AFK for a while. I wrote the outline of this chapter (and the rest of the story for that matter) before that. So I'm glad I finally had the chance to put my ideas into words. For you.**

 **Shoutout to your reviews comments, tumblr messages, and fanfiction messages. Two of my favourites have got to be "Guest: I miss this fic so much. Pls update pls I will pay" and "conallthewolf29: I would do a lot to get this fic going again, like major sexual favors" … LOL you guys are gr8. Also shoutout to duskieworld for translating my fanfiction entirely into Vietnamese. Super rad. Thank you!**

 **So I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9. Or, at least, appreciated my efforts. What did you think?**

 **One last chapter to go. It will be uploaded tomorrow.**

 **xo**


	10. Epilogue: Equilibrium

**Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, abuse, violence.**

* * *

 **October 26, 2013**

 **Welcome to what I call… The Aftermath. DUN DUN DUNNN.**

 **In all seriousness, it feels like it's been forever since I've actually written much of anything. So much has gone down since everything happened. So let's see if I can get this all down…**

 **Sometimes I still ask myself if it all happened or not. It all feels like a dream. One of those blurry, weird dreams where everything feels so real but you still question whether it … actually is? I don't know how to explain it. But it happened. Chloe can attest to that. She's sitting right beside me.**

 **That day in the bathroom felt like a literal vortex (ha ha ha… *sarcasm*). It swept us in and I felt like I was going to die. So many times. But it passed through us, fucked us up, and things fell into place afterwards.**

 **Finally.**

 **I consider myself lucky. How could everything have fallen into place so perfectly? After all that crap…**

 **I sort of remember that day in the bathroom, but I was pretty torn up. After /somehow/ pulling off the biggest time rewind I had ever done, I was absolutely destroyed. Everything is a blur. Even now. Chloe tells me that after disarming Nathan and pushing him off, she rushed to pick me up off the floor. Apparently, I had taken a photo of Nathan in action – pointed gun and all. Actual proof. Go me! But I hardly even remember that.**

 **Anyway, Chloe had apparently rushed to get me off the floor and help me walk out of the bathroom. We ended up getting the school's attention ASAP. And I mean, ASAP. The cops, too. I remember this part more clearly. Blackwell actually came through and believed us after they saw for themselves: Nathan with a gun? Hard to deny an** **actual gun** **, you know? Blackwell and the police ended up contacting Nathan's family immediately. I mean, the Prescott business suffered a bit from the Nathan scandal, but it was nothing in the long run. Because being rich helps with getting over things like that.**

 **Still, though. Everyone found out and Nathan was exposed. About everything. The drugs, the girls. All of it. The Vortex club was totally brought to an end.**

 **I can never ever speak for them, but I truly believe that a lot of people Nathan hurt got justice because he was finally held accountable.**

 **And most importantly, he is getting** _ **help**_ **. As in, actual treatment! He may have gone through a lot of shit with the cops, but at least Nathan finally got the help he needed. Thank goodness.**

 **Speaking of help, you know who isn't in the hospital getting help? Kate! I'm so happy for her. She told me she finally made peace with everything after Nathan was found out. She didn't attempt to kill herself like she did… uh… in the other timeline. People** _ **actually**_ **believed her when Nathan was caught. That's all she ever wanted. Other Arcadia Bay girls that I never heard of also spoke up when they saw Nathan get caught. They all were so glad to finally have something proven that would have otherwise never been confirmed as true…**

 **–** **–** **–**

 **Oops… that line… my pen just got nudged. Chloe just nuzzled her face in me and covered me in kisses.**

 **But, Chloe.**

 **She did it. That's my girl. I can't believe we actually pulled it off. We've gone through so, so much together and she's still here. By my side. Who knew my partner in time would end up being this blue-haired punk? Oh my dog, I love her.**

 **Last week was rough for her, though. Because all of this with Nathan happened** _ **after**_ **he raped her, she still ended up being… you know, pregnant. Nathan had got to her before that day in the bathroom, so… she aborted just last week. I was by her side the entire time. It wasn't easy. I can't even imagine…**

 **She's doing way, way better now, though. She made peace, in her own way, by knowing that her suffering will be the last.**

 **And best of all? Somehow, someway… she is in love with me? Like? HOW? DID? YOU? GET? SO? LUCKY? MAX?**

 **?** **!?**

 **Dating Chloe is the best thing that ever happened to me.**

 **And as for me?**

 **I never found out** _ **how**_ **exactly I got my powers. Or why. But as Chloe once told me, I shouldn't stress about trying to find out why and label my actions. They just** _ **are**_ **. But if I were to label myself, I'd probably label myself as That Freak with Powers… ha ha ha. But in all honesty, that first vision in Jefferson's class was when I realized I got my powers. I still have no clue why. I get** _ **how**_ **I was meant to use them in the end, but I still don't know** _ **why**_ **. And I don't know if I ever will find out.**

 **Life is weird.**

 **Strange, really.**

 **I've even wondered whether my powers were some sort of – I don't know – 'gift' from Rachel. As if she was watching over us the entire time. Watching over Chloe. Or something…**

 **Don't worry, Rachel. I'm taking good care of her.**

 **The crazy thing, though, is that… well…**

 **My powers are gone now.**

 **They just... poof. Disappeared. After that day in the bathroom, I didn't have it in me anymore.**

 **I like to believe that they ultimately served their purpose.**

 **The only thing is, I still get mad anxiety because of it. It's so crazy. It feels like I am going through some sort of withdrawl or something. I get feelings of bad things happening and I get super nervous knowing I can't do anything. I can't anymore. It's gone. I had sort of grew dependent on my time rewind. It was like a safety net. I can't do that anymore, and getting over that is… not easy.**

 **In the end, I lost my power. That part is true.**

 **But I still take photos. So many photos. I still carry my camera everywhere. And photography allows me to stop time… one way or another. I can rescue a moment by using my camera. And in that way, I found another way to stop time and hold it.**

 **I always had that power.**

 **And now? Chloe and I have plans.**

 **After turning Nathan in, we ended up finding out where Rachel was sent off. The cops were able to pull the passport entries and find her approximate location. Not anything specific. Just the city. It's still something, though. She was headed to New York City to start a modeling career. Thanks to Nathan's heavy bribes, obviously.**

 **So...**

 **We are heading there now.**

 **Chloe and I.**

 **We're leaving Arcadia Bay together. We're sitting on the plane right now. Waiting for takeoff.**

 **I dropped out of Blackwell a week ago and packed my luggage half a week ago. Who woulda thought? Max Caulfield. A drop out. I flip back a dozen journal entries ago and I see how excited I was to even get into this school. But oh my dog, I had to step back and look at things differently. I had Chloe now. Not to say that she's holding me back. But I just... can't seem to bring myself to be so small-minded. This small town... this small school... it won't get me anywhere. And I want to make it big.**

 **True, Blackwell is prestigious. But look how small it is. A tiny school in an insignificant town that no one's ever heard of. My future would be sorta lame here. So I took out my scholarship money. Chloe is rubbing off on me, ha ha ha. I took it all out and am using it for this. We got dirt cheap plane tickets. Probably because the plane itself is rickety and sketchy. But it'll do the job!**

 **So here we are. Off to NYC. At least, off to NYC once the plane takes off.**

 **I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it. Am I really doing this? Damn, Max. How did you get so lucky?**

 **NEW YORK CITY.**

 **Holy crap.**

 **I** _ **know**_ **this is the place to be if I want to make it big as a freelance photographer. So our next adventure is NYC. And finding Rachel.**

 **Chloe got us a small (and I mean SMALL) apartment in NYC through a dude she knows who's in a punk band over there. Rent's going to be free for the first month, but we will probably both end up getting one or two part time jobs of the shitty variety just to make rent. And try to make it on the side. As a photographer and as... well, I don't quite know what Chloe wants to be.**

 **She's good at guitar. She's always been good at guitar. So her buddy is going to get her a few gigs. She's even started tinkering around with my own acoustic guitar. Her voice is so beautiful. And I want to die every time I hear her play.**

 **MY GIRLFRIEND IS SO HOT~**

 **Phewf. Gosh. Okay.**

 **Yeah. Dog, I know how hard it is to make it as an artist. Especially when you're new to the scene. Chloe hardly knows anyone personally in the NYC music scene. And I know even less than that in the photography scene. Like no one, basically.**

 **This is going to sound super cheesy, but... Chloe and I will be alright as long as we have each other. We don't need much, anyways.**

 **Don't get me wrong – this scares the crap out of me.**

 **But Chloe is home. No matter where we go.**

 **Well... gotta run.**

 **Plane takes off soon!**

Max closed the journal and tucked it away in her book bag by her feet. The space of the window seat on the plane didn't allow for much, but it fit her book bag.

On her way back up, she stole a glance at Chloe in the seat beside her, who was busy restlessly fixing her beanie and fidgeting with the bullet on her necklace. Her feet were up on her seat.

Though she was giving off her 'I Don't Give a Shit' vibes, it did not fool Max.

The brunette smiled at her, but Chloe wasn't looking. She was busy staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.

 _ **DING!**_

Chloe flinched as the airplane seatbelt sign went off.

Max effortlessly put her seatbelt on and then continued to watch Chloe sit up and fumble with the metal clasp of her own seatbelt, hands shaking.

 _I remember now._

 _That night under the stars!_

 _Aw, Chloe._

 _We sat in the back of your pickup truck and told each other our fears... I remember now!_

 _Mine was losing you._

 _Yours was... planes._

 _I thought you weren't afraid of anything, Price._

Max watched as the blue-haired punk gripped the hand rest between their seats. Her anxiousness seemed to surface, painting her knuckles white with tension.

She took subtle but sharp inhales, so Max caressed the top of her ice cold hand, causing the blue-haired girl to turn towards Max.

In return, Max didn't have to say anything. She simply looked at Chloe.

It was a different look. It was pure.

An accidental look that showed her love for Chloe. No one was more important than the girl sitting beside her, and it showed on Max's face. Her wide doe eyes were filled with love.

This is their adventure.

Their story.

The girls felt the plane move slowly on the ground.

Max bit her lip playfully and let a warm smile paint her face.

"Hi," she whispered.

The plane began to pull onto the takeoff lane.

"Hi," Chloe said right back with a small, nervous smile. Her electric blue eyes met Max's deep brown and in that moment, warmth filled her, washing away her anxieties.

The plane aligned itself on the takeoff lane and halted quietly for a mere second before the muffled jets of the plane engine burst, gently pushing the girls back in their seats.

Faster and faster.

Max squeezed Chloe's hand.

"There's no turning back now, Chlo."

The plane accelerated and suddenly tilted upwards, taking flight.

Chloe gave Max a smile, taking Max's support and using it to calm her nerves.

"I know, babe. I can't wait."

They squeezed their hands.

Fingers intertwined.

* * *

 **A/N: Done. It's finally done. This story comes to an end and it's so, so bittersweet. I put in so much effort into this story and I'm happy with how it turned out. Based on the word count, this is basically the length of a novel. And I'm proud of that. Wow, what started off as a one-shot smut turned into this: STILL top favourited and STILL top followed of all LiS stories on this site. THANK YOU SO FREAKING MUCH. My love for you is relentless.**

 **So I feel like I owe you an explanation on why I've been so afk. I've gotten so so so many emails, messages, posts, etc. asking about the hiatus. If you remember, I last mentioned that I had gotten accepted to law school. I ended up saying no, kek. I went through a lot of personal things. One of them being figuring out my sexuality. I like girls. Specifically, one girl. I met her during this hiatus. Shout out to her for pushing me to finish this story. Shout out to her for hearing me complain about my fanfiction being incomplete. Shout out to her for putting my fanfiction link as her tinder profile bio when we first met and were still talking on tinder LOL. Shout out to her for being so lovely.**

 **Also shout out to the Life is Strange game AND community for being such an important part of my coming to terms with my gayness.** _ **So Hardcore**_ **was not just a story for me. It helped me sort through my own orientation. To put it into context, when I started writing** _ **So Hardcore**_ **, I identified as mainly straight and (THE SAFE LABEL OF) bicurious. HAHA. By the end of this story, I am now your homegurl fag. Writing helped so much. You, the readers: thank you for going on this journey with me.**

 **Overall, I loved writing this! The smut was hot for me to write. And it was just overall super cool to experiment writing other genres, like romance/action/suspense/etc. I also loved changing POVs between Max and Chloe. So many thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my story. And put up with my late updates. I really do savour your reviews, though. Please, please let me know what you thought of this. Even if it made you so mad, you rage quit. How can I improve if you don't tell me, right? Especially because I plan on writing a drabble next – pure AmberPricefield smut.**

 **As for me, if you want to get in touch with me...**

 **\- my IG (THIS IS THE FACE BEHIND THE STORY): cntdestroyer69**

 **\- my tumblr: lightthewayahead. tumblr. com**

 **\- I also run an aesthetic page on FB for all you weeb trash who like art (shameless self-promo). I run it with my girlfriend. However, the art is probably not up your alley. Actually, it may be more up Nathan's alley. We post art that we edit: facebook com/ nureteru/**

 **(tfw the A/N is longer than the chapter itself, wh00pz)**

 **[[#^.^#]]**


End file.
